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
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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.
The 27-year-old Arsenal forward arrived at the awards on crutches after an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury against Manchester United in November.
From BBC • Dec. 21, 2022
Known by its clunky official name - Ulnar Collateral Ligament Repair with Internal Brace - it could be called “Tommy John lite.”
From Washington Times • May 29, 2017
In the study by the American Sports Medicine Institute titled “Outcome of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in 1,281 Athletes,” doctors conducted follow-up interviews with athletes they had operated on from 1985 to 2008.
From New York Times • Aug. 28, 2010
March 09 Twins’ Nathan Has Torn Ligament Joe Nathan's season is in doubt after it was disclosed Tuesday that he has a "significant tear" of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
From New York Times • Mar. 9, 2010
Ligament: a band or sheet of tough, fibrous tissue between two parts or segments.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
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.
