Noun: knee-jerk reflex
- A reflex extension of the leg resulting from a sharp tap on the patellar tendon
"The doctor tested the patient's knee-jerk reflex during the physical examination";
- knee jerk, patellar reflex
Derived forms: knee-jerk reflexes
Type of: inborn reflex, innate reflex, instinctive reflex, physiological reaction, reflex, reflex action, reflex response, unconditioned reflex
Encyclopedia: Knee-jerk reflex