I can't say that there have been many times or occurrences in my life that would knock me to my knees, so to speak. Naturally, with that being said, it's difficult for me to find a proper way to use genuflect to describe things that I do, feel, or see in life. That being said, my life hasn't been the most traumatic or eventful of years, and I'm not really that religious. So, with all due fairness, I haven't had a need to genuflect or see another do so.
Protagonists (or antagonists), however, are designed to have an entire event unfold around them. And with eventful lives often comes the need to do interesting and sometimes bizarre things (not saying that genuflecting is bizarre, but you know). Eventful lives lead to a wider variety of vocabulary, which is something writers absolutely love.
Genuflect | ˈdʒɛnjʊflɛkt: verb: Lower one's body briefly by bending one knee to the ground, typically in worship or as a sign of respect; Show deference or servility
In the various cultures of the fantasy world I've built over the years, there are numerous religions and shows of respect. What comes to mind first would have to be the worship of Inhalla, the Mother of All. She is known as such because She was known for the creation of the world, itself, by giving up her heart in order for her mate's spirit to hold onto something familiar.
Priestesses who worship Inhalla first often do so by worshipping her most widely-known offspring, the dragons. Primarily, the Addanyre - or Onyx - dragons. Oftentimes, this is done by genuflecting before the presence of one such dragon and offering it gifts of a wide variety. They also are known to keep a basin of gems at the center of every temple, which is often lit with the silver flame of one such dragon, said to be able to carry the spirits of the dead home to the Heart World.
Genuflect | jen-yə-ˌflekt : verb: to bend the knee, to touch the knee to the floor or ground especially in worship; to be humbly or obediently respectful
In the written example I chose for today, I felt use of genuflect was more in reference to a clumsy youth rather than a show of reverence or obedience. The character who did so had so recently been born a dragoness, and she was a little wobbly to say the least. Naturally, all of this happening while also saying goodbye to a beloved family member as she joined the stars.
I find the various kinds of dragons written in the realms of fantasy to be more and more enthralling with each new book I find, and while I've been talking about Dragon Thief for a few months now, I simply feel it's a wonderful example of just how creative a writer can be.
Rising, Riika genuflected gravely. Kal grabbed her tail to prevent her from pitching onto her nose.
There's a great deal that goes into each written work. From creation to idea storms to actually attempting to write a cohesive sentence. But writers are creative, and they enjoy thinking outside the box. So, in my experience, adding words to our vocabulary that we may not always have the ability to do in our everyday lives just adds to the fun of writing our stories.
Speaking of writing, got any new words you'd like to add? Perhaps an idea on how to more creatively use genuflect? Let me know all that and more, and until tomorrow, happy reading!
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