supine

¹su·pine

noun \ˈsü-ˌpīn\

Definition of SUPINE

1

: a Latin verbal noun having an accusative of purpose in -um and an ablative of specification in -u

2

: an English infinitive with to

Origin of SUPINE

Middle English supyn, from Late Latin supinum, from Latin, neuter of supinus, adjective

First Known Use: 15th century

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

Rhymes with SUPINE

A-line, affine, airline, align, alkyne, alpine, assign, at sign, balkline, baseline, beeline, benign, bloodline, blue line, blush wine, bovine, bowline, branchline, breadline, bright-line, buntline, bustline, byline, call sign, canine, caprine, carbine, carmine, cervine, chow line, clothesline, cloud nine, coastline, combine, compline, condign, confine, consign, corvine, cosign, cutline, dateline, deadline, decline, define, design, divine, dragline, driveline, earthshine, Einstein, eiswein, end line, enshrine, entwine, equine, ethyne, fall line, fault line, feline, ferine, first-line, flatline, flight line, foul line, fräulein, frontline, front line, goal line, gold mine, grapevine, guideline, hairline, hard-line, hard pine, headline, hemline, high sign, hipline, Holbein, hotline, ice wine, incline, indign, in fine, in-line, Irvine, jawline, jug wine, landline, land mine, lang syne, lifeline, load line, longline, lupine, mainline, main line, malign, midline, moline, moonshine, neckline, off-line, old-line, online, opine, outline, outshine, ovine, Pauline, peace sign, Petrine, pipeline, piscine, pitch pine, plotline, plumb line, plus sign, pontine, porcine, potline, pound sign, propine, punch line, rapine, recline, redline, red pine, refine, reline, repine, resign, Rhine wine, ridgeline, roofline, Sabine, saline, Scotch pine, scrub pine, setline, shoreline, short line, sideline, sight line, skyline, snow line, soft-line, spring line, straight-line, strandline, straw wine, streamline, strip mine, strychnine, subline, sunshine, syncline, taurine, tie-line, times sign, topline, touchline, towline, tramline, trapline, tree line, trephine, trotline, truckline, trunk line, tumpline, turbine, untwine, ursine, vespine, V sign, vulpine, waistline, white line, white pine, white wine, woodbine, yard line, zebrine, Z line

²su·pine

adjective \su̇-ˈpīn, attributive also ˈsü-ˌpīn\

Definition of SUPINE

1

a : lying on the back or with the face upward

b : marked by supination

2

: exhibiting indolent or apathetic inertia or passivity; especially : mentally or morally slack

3

archaic : leaning or sloping backward

— su·pine·ly \su̇-ˈpīn-lē\ adverb

— su·pine·ness \-ˈpīn-nəs\ noun

Examples of SUPINE

1. He was lying supine on the couch.
2. a supine legislature that is afraid to take action

Origin of SUPINE

Middle English suppyne, from Latin supinus; akin to Latin sub under, up to — more at up

First Known Use: 15th century

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, thoracic, ventral

su·pine

adjective \su̇-ˈpīn, ˈsü-ˌpīn\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SUPINE

1

: lying on the back or with the face upward

2

: marked by supination