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ligament

American  
[lig-uh-muhnt] / ˈlɪg ə mənt /

noun

  1. Anatomy, Zoology. a band of tissue, usually white and fibrous, serving to connect bones, hold organs in place, etc.

  2. a tie or bond.

    The desire for personal freedom is a ligament uniting all peoples.
ligament British  
/ ˈlɪɡəmənt /

noun

  1. anatomy any one of the bands or sheets of tough fibrous connective tissue that restrict movement in joints, connect various bones or cartilages, support muscles, etc

  2. any physical or abstract connection or bond

"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
ligament Scientific  
/ lĭg′ə-mənt /

  1. A sheet or band of tough fibrous tissue that connects two bones or holds an organ of the body in place.

ligament Cultural  

  1. A kind of fibrous connective tissue that binds bones or cartilage together.

Etymology

Origin of ligament

1375–1425; late Middle English < Medieval Latin ligāmentum, Latin: bandage, equivalent to ligā ( re ) to tie + -mentum -ment

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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.

Charlisse Leger-Walker, a transfer from Washington State, spent the year on the sideline recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

I’ve had sports injuries over the years, and it felt like that—a torn ligament, maybe.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

Sivo joined the Rhinos before the 2025 season but missed the whole campaign after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

Dear God, let that not be a ligament or tendon I need to run.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

It could be as bad as a broken bone or a blown suspensory ligament.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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.