ligament
Americannoun
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Anatomy, Zoology. a band of tissue, usually white and fibrous, serving to connect bones, hold organs in place, etc.
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a tie or bond.
The desire for personal freedom is a ligament uniting all peoples.
noun
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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
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any physical or abstract connection or bond
Etymology
Origin of ligament
1375–1425; late Middle English < Medieval Latin ligāmentum, Latin: bandage, equivalent to ligā ( re ) to tie + -mentum -ment
Compare meaning
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Explanation
A ligament is the tissue that connects two bones to form a joint. It's tough and fibrous, which means that when it tears, a ligament can take quite a while to heal and might even require surgery. Ligament comes from the Latin ligare meaning "to bind, tie," which is precisely what a ligament does. Ligaments only connect bones to bones. Ligaments allow for range of motion. Think of how your knee or elbow is able to move up and down like a hinge. That's thanks to the ligaments connecting the bones to form knee and elbow joints. Over time, ligaments gradually stretch. If you've ever met someone who is "double-jointed" that means their ligaments are extra elastic, which lets them stretch more than the average person.
Vocabulary lists containing ligament
Human Anatomy and Physiology - Introductory
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Before the Ever After
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Human Anatomy and Physiology - High School
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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.
I’ve had sports injuries over the years, and it felt like that—a torn ligament, maybe.
From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026
"Due to his crash he suffered injuries, most likely bone and ligament damage in particular to his right knee and also right wrist," said team doctor Lorenz Emmert.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
Kulusevski had surgery on a patella injury sustained last season while Maddison tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle in June.
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026
Dear God, let that not be a ligament or tendon I need to run.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
His room smelled of turpentine, which Doc had prescribed as a liniment for the pulled ligament.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
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.
