knee-jerk

Etymology
, First attested 1876, derived from a figurative sense of the patellar reflex.

Adjective

 * 1) Unthinking, not carefully considered, (nearly) automatic, spontaneous, easily predictable.

Translations

 * Dutch:
 * Finnish:
 * French:
 * German: reflexartig, ,
 * Icelandic:
 * Norwegian: forventet or forutsigelig or forutsigbar spontanreaksjon

Noun

 * 1) A sudden reflexive movement of the leg below the knee, as a reaction to a tap to the tendon just below the patella (kneecap).

Translations

 * Finnish: patellaarirefleksi, polviheijaste
 * German: Kniereflex, Kniesehnenreflex, Patellarreflex, Patellarsehnenreflex, Kniephänomen
 * Icelandic: hnéviðbragð, hnékippur
 * Norwegian: knerefleks, patellarefleks
 * Spanish: reflejo rotuliano