meniscus
[ mi-nis-kuhs ]
/ mɪˈnɪs kəs /
noun, plural me·nis·ci [mi-nis-ahy, -nis-kahy, -kee], /mɪˈnɪs aɪ, -ˈnɪs kaɪ, -ki/, me·nis·cus·es.
a crescent or a crescent-shaped body.
the convex or concave upper surface of a column of liquid, the curvature of which is caused by surface tension.
Optics. a lens with a crescent-shaped section; a concavo-convex or convexo-concave lens.
Anatomy. a disk of cartilage between the articulating ends of the bones in a joint.
QUIZZES
LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!
Are you learning Spanish? Or do you just have an interest in foreign languages? Either way, this quiz on Spanish words for animals is for you.
Question 1 of 13
How do you say “cat” 🐈 in Spanish?
Origin of meniscus
1685–95; <New Latin <Greek mēnískos crescent, diminutive of mḗnē moon
OTHER WORDS FROM meniscus
me·nis·coid [mi-nis-koid], /mɪˈnɪs kɔɪd/, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for meniscus
The central, concave edges of the menisci are thin and unattached.
Displacement of the menisci of the knee is referred to with injuries of that joint.
Manual of Surgery|Alexis Thomson and Alexander Miles
British Dictionary definitions for meniscus
meniscus
/ (mɪˈnɪskəs) /
noun plural -nisci (-ˈnɪsaɪ) or -niscuses
the curved upper surface of a liquid standing in a tube, produced by the surface tension
a crescent or half-moon-shaped body or design
a crescent-shaped fibrous cartilage between the bones at certain joints, esp at the knee
a crescent-shaped lens; a concavo-convex or convexo-concave lens
Derived forms of meniscus
meniscoid, adjectiveWord Origin for meniscus
C17: from New Latin, from Greek mēniskos crescent, diminutive of mēnē moon
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
Medical definitions for meniscus
meniscus
[ mə-nĭs′kəs ]
n. pl. me•nis•cus•es
A crescent-shaped body.
A concavo-convex lens.
The curved upper surface of a nonturbulent liquid in a container that is concave if the liquid wets the walls and convex if it does not.
A disk of cartilage that acts as a cushion between the ends of bones in a joint.
Other words from meniscus
me•nis′cal (-kəl) null null null adj.The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for meniscus
meniscus
[ mə-nĭs′kəs ]
Plural menisci (mə-nĭs′ī, -kī, -kē) meniscuses
A lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other.
The curved upper surface of a column of liquid in a container. The surface is concave if the molecules of the liquid are attracted to the container walls and convex if they are not. See also surface tension.
A piece of cartilage shaped like a crescent and located at the junction of two bones in a joint. The meniscus acts to absorb shock.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.