What does pronating mean?
Pronating means turning the palm of the hand downward or rotating the foot so that the sole faces downward. The word is especially common in anatomy, medicine, and physical therapy, where it describes a specific movement of the forearm or foot. In the hand, pronation turns the palm from an upward or sideways position toward a downward-facing position; in the foot, it moves the sole from an inward-facing position toward the ground. The opposite movement is supination. Although pronating can describe an everyday action, such as turning a hand palm-down, its technical spelling and precise directional meaning are especially useful when discussing anatomy and movement. The term is also associated with rotation of the forearm, where the radius and ulna cross as the palm turns downward.
verbTo turn the palm of the hand downward, or to rotate the foot so that the sole faces downward.
- To turn the palm of the hand downward.
- To rotate the foot so that the sole faces downward.
"The gymnast pronated his hands as he lowered himself from the parallel bars."
"He pronated his hand to show the smooth surface of the coin."
"The physical therapist asked the patient to slowly pronate the foot while keeping the knee straight."
Pronating and supinating are opposite rotations of the forearm—and the same movement gives us the everyday image of turning a palm up or down.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pronating come from?
Pronating comes from the Latin verb pronare, meaning “to bow” or “to bend forward,” and ultimately relates to pronus, meaning “leaning forward” or “inclined.” The anatomical sense developed by analogy with the position of the hand when the body is inclined or bent forward. The related English words pronation and pronator were formed with Latin suffixes, while prone retains the older sense of being inclined or lying face down.
Related word forms
How pronating is actually used
The term is most common in anatomy, medicine, and physical therapy. It is also understood in general descriptions of turning the hand or foot.
Easily confused with pronating
Pronation turns the palm or sole downward, whereas supination turns the palm upward or the sole inward.