Meanings
- not comparableanatomyOf or pertaining to the popliteus (the area behind the knee).First known use 18th c.
The popliteal artery is exposed through an incision that parallels the anterior border of the sartorius muscle and passes just posterior to the medial condyle.
2009, Carol E. H. Scott-Conner, Operative Anatomy, page 7582 more examples
On removing a quantity of fat which separates the popliteal nerve from the vein and artery, these will be exposed lying in direct contact, the vein being posterior or superficial to the artery and a little to its outer side at the upper part of the space.
1839, John Steggall, Malcolm William Hilles, A Manual for the College of Surgeons in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh, page 433The popliteal entrapment syndrome is a developmental disorder resulting in an anomalous relationship between the popliteal artery and muscle structures in the popliteal fossa.
2006, Gregory J. Landry, edited by Gerald B. Zelenock, Mastery of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 53: Treatment of Nonatherosclerotic Causes of Infrainguinal Arterial Occlusive Disease, page 443
Origin
- Latinpoples“ham, knee”
- Late Latinpopliteus
- Englishpopliteal
From Late Latin popliteus (from Latin poples (“ham, knee”)) + -al.
More words from Late Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch wade
- wadearea behind the knee
Finnish polvitaive-, polvitaipeen
- polvitaive-area behind the knee
- polvitaipeenarea behind the knee
French poplité
- poplitéarea behind the knee
Greek ιγνυακός
- ιγνυακός (ignyakós)area behind the knee
Italian popliteo
- popliteoarea behind the knee
Japanese 膝窩
- 膝窩 (shikka)area behind the knee
Polish podkolanowy
- podkolanowyarea behind the knee
Russian подколенный
- подколенный (podkolennyj)area behind the knee
Spanish poplíteo
- poplíteoarea behind the knee
Swedish knävecks-
- knävecks-area behind the knee
Tagalog alakalakanin
- alakalakaninarea behind the knee
Tamil குழிச்சிரை
- குழிச்சிரை (kuḻiccirai)area behind the knee
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with popliteal
Anagrams
Cite this entry
popliteal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/popliteal
“popliteal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/popliteal. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “popliteal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/popliteal.
Source: popliteal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.