ligament

American  

[lig-uh-muhnt] / ˈlɪg ə mənt /

noun

• ligaments
  plural

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.

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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

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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.

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ligament Cultural  

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ligaments
  plural

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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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Compare meaning

How does ligament compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• tendon vs. ligament

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ligament ligaments

Surgery can repair the torn ligament, but fixing the immediate injury does not necessarily prevent long-term joint damage.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

For older players, Tommy John surgery—a ligament repair and reconstruction named for the major league pitcher it was first performed on and widespread among pros—is on the rise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

"Inevitably a muscle or ligament gets stretched and a bit irritated," he says.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

With fellow striker Youssef Chermiti expected to be out for a lengthy period after suffering anterior cruciate ligament damage against Hibernian last month, McInnes is now left without his two leading strikers.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

When the doctor opened the knee up he discovered that Boobie had torn the anterior cruciate ligament.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

The Chiefs were lifeless on offense and already on the brink of missing the playoffs by the time Mahomes went down with torn knee ligaments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

British rap superstar Stormzy ripped ligaments in his fingers, external the first time he played netball.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Ed Lee is an Orlando-based endocrinologist who is hopeful for compounding approvals, especially for BPC-157, which is popular in the wellness community for its purported ability to repair tissues, including muscles and ligaments.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

He sustained a fractured right fibula and tibia, a displaced ankle and torn ligaments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026

When a man falls upon his knees and grieves, doth not his musculature contract and his ligaments distend?

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

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