gristle

American  

[gris-uhl] / ˈgrɪs əl /

noun

1. cartilage, especially in meats.

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gristle British  

/ ˈɡrɪsəl /

noun

1. cartilage, esp when in meat

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Other Word Forms

• gristliness noun
• gristly adjective

Etymology

Origin of gristle

before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old Frisian, Middle Low German gristal; akin to Old English grost cartillage

Example Sentences

So far the float had only gone down when her line tangled in seaweed, or because a sea crab had nibbled at the bait until there was only a thread of gristle left.

From Literature

"Dishes often contain meat that looks like cartilage, jelly and fat, with a high percentage of gristle," she wrote.

From BBC

Set in the mid-18th century, it is a classic tale of haves and have-nots filled with gristle and grit, limitless horizons, scenes of suffering, reversals of fortune and cathartic recognition.

From New York Times

It’s the connective tissue — the gristle — between the kills that is seriously lacking.

From Los Angeles Times

And when that happens, those individuals — whether made of ink and paper or blood and gristle — should see specialists for examination and treatment.

From Seattle Times