DEFINITIONS

ball-and-socket joint

[ bawl-uh n sok-it ]
/ ˈbɔl ən ˈsɒk ɪt /

noun

Also called enarthrosis. Anatomy, Zoology. a joint in which the rounded end of one bone fits into a cuplike end of the other bone, allowing for relatively free rotary motion, as at the hip or shoulder.
Also called ball joint. a similar joint between rods, links, pipes, etc., consisting of a ball-like termination on one part held within a concave, spherical socket on the other.

Content related to ball-and-socket joint

andRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
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Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative?During election seasons the words left and right denote political affiliation more than spatial direction. But where do these associations come from? The left hand has long been associated with deviance. The word “sinister” originally meant “to the left” in Latin. The word “left” comes from the Old English word lyft, which literally meant “weak, foolish.” To avoid the negative and superstitious associations of the …
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Words nearby ball-and-socket joint

ball turning, ball up, ball valve, ball's in your court, the, ball-and-claw foot, ball-and-socket joint, ball-buster, ball-carrier, ball-peen hammer, ball-valve thrombus, balla

Origin of ball-and-socket joint

First recorded in 1660–70
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for ball-and-socket joint

ball-and-socket joint

ball joint

noun

a coupling between two rods, tubes, etc, that consists of a spherical part fitting into a spherical socket, allowing free movement within a specific conical volume
Also called: multiaxial joint anatomy a bony joint, such as the hip joint, in which a rounded head fits into a rounded cavity, allowing a wide range of movement
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

Medicine definitions for ball-and-socket joint

ball-and-socket joint

n.

A multiaxial joint in which a sphere on the head of one bone fits into a rounded cavity in the other bone, as in the hip joint.cotyloid joint enarthrosis
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for ball-and-socket joint

ball-and-socket joint
[ bôl′ən-sŏk′ĭt ]

A joint, such as the shoulder or hip joint, in which a spherical knob or knoblike part of one bone fits into a cavity or socket of another, so that some degree of rotary motion is possible in every direction.
A mechanical device consisting of a spherical knob at the end of a shaft that fits securely into a socket. Ball-and-socket joints are used to connect parts of a machine that require rotary movement in nearly all directions. Ball-and-socket joints allow the front wheels of a car to be turned by the steering mechanism.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.