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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  
/ 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.

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.

The real cause for the explosion in torn ulnar collateral ligaments is now believed to be high velocities.

From The Wall Street Journal

"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

On Jan. 30, Vonn suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, with meniscus and bone damage, when she crashed during a downhill race in Crans Montana, Switzerland.

From Los Angeles Times

He has featured in 18 Premier League games this season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in 2024.

From BBC

Hamilton points to research on female athletes that found higher rates of ligament injuries at certain points in the cycle, likely linked to progesterone and estrogen’s effects on connective tissue.

From Los Angeles Times

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.