Plantarflexing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Bending the foot downward at the ankle so that the toes point away from the shin, as when rising onto tiptoe or pressing a pedal
2. Moving the ankle joint so the sole of the foot tilts toward the ground, a motion used in walking, dancing and pushing off
3. Extending the foot downward at the ankle, pointing the toes away from the body in a movement that engages the calf muscles

Etymology: "Plantarflexing" is the present participle of "plantarflex", a verb built from two parts. "Plantar" comes from the Latin "planta", the sole of the foot, and "flex" comes from the Latin "flectere", to bend. Put together, the word describes bending the foot downward at the ankle, as when a dancer rises onto the toes or a driver presses the accelerator. The "plantar" element is the same one found in "plantar fasciitis" and "plantar wart", both of which refer to the sole of the foot. The "flex" element is the familiar one from "flexible" and "flexion", making it a fairly transparent compound once the two halves are known.

Antonyms: dorsiflex