ligament
Americannoun
-
ligaments
plural
-
Anatomy, Zoology. a band of tissue, usually white and fibrous, serving to connect bones, hold organs in place, etc.
-
a tie or bond.
The desire for personal freedom is a ligament uniting all peoples.
noun
-
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
-
any physical or abstract connection or bond
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ligament
1375–1425; late Middle English < Medieval Latin ligāmentum, Latin: bandage, equivalent to ligā ( re ) to tie + -mentum -ment
Compare meaning
How does ligament compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Before the Ever After
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Human Anatomy and Physiology - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Purists might refer to it as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, but the rest of the world knows it as the career-saving surgery named for a sore-armed left-handed Dodgers pitcher.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
She made the U.S. women’s national team in 2018 and played junior college ball her freshman year but tore an anterior cruciate ligament.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
Statistics from the last Premier League season do not feature Manchester City maestro Rodri as he continued his return from a anterior cruciate ligament injury.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Ugarte is going to be out until 2027 after having surgery to repair cruciate ligament damage.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
A doctor’s exam had showed it was more a sprained ligament than anything else.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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
Rick Seah, a doctor who treats athletes and dancers at the U.K.’s Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, said ballet dancers need strength and endurance in their muscles and ligaments to reach and maintain many complex positions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
In a study published in Nature Communications, Muneoka and colleagues describe a new two-step treatment that enabled the regeneration of bone, joint structures, and ligaments.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 17, 2026
Richards tore two ligaments in his left ankle playing for Crystal Palace, his English club team, on May 17 and hadn’t played or fully trained since.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
As a result, the vast majority of horses’ sleeping is done standing, which they can do thanks to ligaments that lock their leg joints in the extended position.
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.
