Achilles tendon

American  

Or Achilles' tendon

noun

Anatomy.

1. the tendon joining the calf muscles to the heel bone.

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Achilles tendon British  

noun

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

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Achilles tendon Cultural  

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

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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

See Examples For:

Achilles tendon

Kobe Bryant’s sneakers from the game in which he tore his Achilles tendon — and hit two free throws before he left the court — fetched $660,000.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

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

Woods, who turned 50 last December, has been working to return from an Achilles tendon rupture last March and back surgery last October.

From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026

Following severe leg injuries in a 2021 car crash, the American had a back operation in September 2024 and then suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last March.

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026

In Holden's "Landmarks" we are told that the operation of dividing the Achilles tendon was first performed by an unfortunate upon himself, by means of a razor.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)