Pronunciation: [nˈɛlt] (IPA) 
The word "knelt" is the past tense of the verb "kneel," which means to rest on one's knees. It is pronounced /nɛlt/ or "nelt" in IPA phonetic transcription, and is spelled with a "k" or "kn" at the beginning to reflect its Old English roots. While "kneel" and "knelt" are spelled with a "k" in standard English, some dialects, such as those spoken in Scotland, may use "c" instead, resulting in the words "ceil" and "celt."
Knelt is the past tense and past participle of the verb "kneel." The verb "kneel" refers to the act of bending one or both knees and placing them on the ground, often as a sign of reverence, worship, or submission. Specifically, "knelt" denotes the action of assuming a kneeling position in the past and can also indicate the continuation of this position.
When an individual knelt, they brought their knees to rest on a surface while maintaining an upright body posture. This posture typically involves keeping the upper body facing forward or bending it slightly forward, and the hands may be placed together, clasped, or extended depending on the context. Knelt is used to describe the action of getting down on one's knees, either voluntarily or as an act of deference, obedience, or humility.
The word knelt carries a sense of physical and emotional surrender, often associated with religious practices, prayer, or solemnity. It is commonly used in the context of religious ceremonies, wedding proposals, or acts of contrition. In addition, knelt can also convey a sense of humility or supplication when used metaphorically in a broader sense. The word serves as a descriptive term that encapsulates the action of kneeling and the emotions, contexts, or ceremonial implications that can be linked to it.
Of kneel, which see.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "knelt" is the past tense and past participle form of the verb "kneel". The etymology of "kneel" traces back to the Old English word "cneowlian", which meant "to fall or rest on the knees". This Old English term is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "kneulon", which had a similar meaning. Ultimately, "kneel" can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*genu-", referring to the knee joint.
