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

Woods missed all of the 2025 season as he recovered from a back surgery the previous year and surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon in March.

From Los Angeles Times

He suffered severe leg injuries in a 2021 car crash before undergoing a back operation in September 2024 and suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon last March.

From BBC

The veteran superstar had a back operation in September 2024 and was rehabilitating from that setback when he announced in March of 2025 that he had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.

From Barron's

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

From Science Daily

Macleod was denied a Six Nations debut against Scotland in 2021 after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in training, shortly after his inclusion in the starting team was announced to the squad.

From Barron's