Meanings
proper noun
- A physical examination finding in which extension of the knee is painful after flexing parts of the leg, sometimes indicating subarachnoid hemorrhage or meningitis.
Origin
Named after Woldemar Kernig (1840–1917), a Russian neurologist.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Kernig's sign. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kernig's%20sign
MLA
“Kernig's sign.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kernig's%20sign. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Kernig's sign,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kernig's%20sign.
Source: Kernig's sign on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.