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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  
/ lĭgə-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.

She opted to delay surgery on the ligament to compete in her final Olympics.

From Salon

A fall in January then left her with a damaged ligament in her left knee, but she still went to the Olympics.

From Barron's

Vonn was racing at the Olympics in Cortina nine days after rupturing ligaments in her left knee when she struck a gate 13 seconds into her downhill run.

From BBC

The fracture -- coming just over a week after she had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee -- sent Vonn to the Ca' Foncello hospital in the city of Treviso, north of Venice.

From Barron's

The American great - who was racing just nine days after rupturing ligaments in her left knee - struck a gate 13 seconds into her downhill run in Cortina on 8 February.

From BBC