Kneel

google

ref

Old English cnēowlian, from cnēow (see knee).

wiktionary

ref

From Middle English knelen, knewlen, from Old English cnēowlian(“to kneel”), equivalent to knee +‎ -le. Cognate with Dutch knielen(“to kneel”), Low German knelen(“to kneel”), dialectal German knielen, kneulen, knülen(“to kneel”), Danish knæle(“to kneel”).

etymonline

ref

kneel (v.)

Old English cneowlian "to kneel, fall on the knees," from Proto-Germanic *knewljan (source also of Middle Low German knelen, Middle Dutch cnielen, Dutch knielen Gothic knussjan), from PIE root *genu- (1) "knee; angle." Past tense knelt is a modern formation (19c.) on analogy of feel/felt, etc. Related: Kneeler; kneeling.