Lewis & Short

poplĕs, ĭtis, m.

  1. I. Lit.: the ham of the knee, the hough (cf. suffrago): genua poplitesque et crura, Col. 6, 12, 3: succisis feminibus poplitibusque, Liv. 22, 51, 7: succiso poplite, Verg. A. 9, 762; cf. Liv. 22, 48, 4; Hor. C. 3, 2, 16: elephas poplites intus flectit hominis modo, Plin. 11, 45, 101, § 248; 28, 6, 17, § 59.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., the knee, Luc. 9, 771; Lucr. 4, 953: duplicato poplite, i. e. with bended knee, Verg. A. 12, 927: se collegit in arma poplite subsidens, id. ib. 12, 492: contento poplite, with a stiff knee, Hor. S. 2, 7, 97: nec parcit imbellis juventae Poplitibus, id. C. 3, 2, 16: poplitibus semet excipit, he sank down upon his knees, Curt. 6, 1: flexo poplite, Vulg. Judic. 7, 6.