ركع

رَكْعَةٌ ذ , [inf. n. of un. of 1: and particularly signifying] A single act of standing in prayer: and in its legal acceptation, used in a more particular sense; (Msb;) meaning a single act of standing in prayer, followed by the رُكُوع [or lowering of the head in the manner described above (see الرُّكُوعُ فِى الصَّلَاةِ in the first paragraph)] and two prostrations: (TA:) [and hence, by a further extension of the meaning, for صَلَاةُ رَكْعَةٍ, the prayer of one bowing of the head and body; the previous act of standing, and the two subsequent prostrations, being understood as included in this expression:] pl. رَكَعَاتٌ. (Msb, K.) [Using it in the last of these senses,] you say, صَلَّى رَكْعَةً [ He performed the prayer of one bowing of the head and body ]: (K:) and صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ [ he performed the prayers of two bowings of the head and body ]. (Msb, K.) [A full description of the act of prayer thus termed may be seen in my work on the Modern Egyptians.]