Showing results for Achilles tendon. Search instead for Achilles+Tendon.

Achilles tendon

American

Or Achilles' tendon

noun

Anatomy.

the tendon joining the calf muscles to the heel bone.

Achilles tendon British

noun

the fibrous cord that connects the muscles of the calf to the heelbone

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Achilles tendon Cultural

A tendon connecting the heel bone with the calf muscle of the leg.

Discover More

In Greek legend, the hero Achilles could be wounded only in the heel.

Etymology

Origin of Achilles tendon

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As he watched Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum roll on the floor gripping his ankle, O’Malley’s worst fear—and professional opinion—was that Tatum had torn his Achilles tendon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

He has consulted fellow Spaniard Santi Cazorla, who was sidelined for 636 days after gangrene ravaged his Achilles tendon, and takes inspiration from the former Arsenal midfielder's comeback.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

“I came out here excited to do it,” said Lillard, a nine-time All-Star who is sitting out this season after surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon last April.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

Achilles tendon pain, tennis elbow, swimmer's shoulder, and jumper's knee affect both young athletes and older adults.

From Science Daily • Feb. 12, 2026

Achilles tendon, the great tendon of the heel, where Achilles was vulnerable.

From The Nuttall Encyclopædia Being a Concise and Comprehensive Dictionary of General Knowledge by Nuttall, P. Austin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023