kneecap

/ˌniˈkæp/

/ˈnikæp/

Other forms: kneecaps; kneecapping; kneecapped

Your kneecap is the bony plate that covers the joint in the middle of your leg, between your thigh and shin. Whales don't have kneecaps, but it might surprise you to know that mice and birds do.

The kneecap is just what it sounds like, a protective cap for your vulnerable knee. While the official anatomical term is patella, it's far more common to call this body part a kneecap. When babies are small, their kneecaps are made of soft cartilage, but by the time they're about three they harden into strong bone. If you're a fan of Mafia movies, you might also recognize the verb kneecap, "to shoot someone in the knee."

Definitions of kneecap

1. noun

   a small flat triangular bone in front of the knee that protects the knee joint
   synonyms: kneepan, patella

   type of:

   os sesamoideum, sesamoid, sesamoid bone

   any of several small round bones formed in a tendon where it passes over a joint
2. verb

   shoot in the kneecap, often done by terrorist groups as a warning
   “They kneecapped the industrialist”

   type of:

   hit, pip, shoot

   hit with a missile from a weapon