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Etymology
Origin of cartilaginous
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin cartilāginōsus, equivalent to cartilāgin- (stem of cartilāgō ) cartilage + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
If you’ve ever chewed on a particularly tough and rubbery bit of food, you could describe it as cartilaginous because its texture is similar to the tough, flexible material that our noses and ears are made of. Cartilaginous (pronounced kar-tuh-LAJ-uh-nus) relates primarily to cartilage, which is a biological material that is less rigid than bone but firmer than muscle, providing support where flexibility is necessary, such as in joints and certain body structures. In a culinary context, cartilaginous might refer to certain seafood or meats that are more challenging to chew because of their dense, rubbery texture, like shark meat or certain cuts of beef.
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.
He is formless, almost faceless, a man whose countenance is a caricature, a man whose framework seems cartilaginous, without bones.
From Salon • Jan. 31, 2025
With such robust evolutionary versatility, these cartilaginous fishes have survived not one, not two, but five mass extinctions in Earth's history.
From Salon • Jul. 21, 2024
The cartilaginous vertebral column, which is the main body axis, may have anatomical modifications to withstand the extreme bending during the tail-whipping behavior.
From Science Daily • Jan. 17, 2024
However, the techniques are more advanced nowadays, providing ever more information on the gene sequences of many cartilaginous fishes.
From Science Daily • Nov. 13, 2023
I had drawn its body inside and out—the vertebrae like cartilaginous Legos, the placement of the organs, the fins, and the industrial hinges of the jaw.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
