housemaid's knee

noun

swelling of the bursa before the kneecap.

Similar
prepatellar bursitis
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Meanings

nounhousemaid's knee (countable and uncountable, plural housemaid's knees)

plural housemaid's knees

  1. countableuncountablemedicineswelling of the bursa before the kneecap.

    Synonyms: prepatellar bursitis

Synonyms & antonyms

nounswelling of the bursa before the kneecap.

Similar
prepatellar bursitis

Origin

So called because it used to be prevalent among housemaids, who spent time kneeling on floors to clean them.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Irish glúinteas
  • glúinteasswelling of the bursa before the kneecap
Russian воспаление коленной чашечки
  • воспаление коленной чашечки (vospalenije kolennoj čašečki)swelling of the bursa before the kneecap
Swedish skurknä
  • skurknäswelling of the bursa before the kneecap
Cite this entry
APA

housemaid's knee. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/housemaid's%20knee

MLA

“housemaid's knee.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/housemaid's%20knee. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “housemaid's knee,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/housemaid's%20knee.

Source: housemaid's knee on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.