tendon

[ten-duhn]

noun

1. Anatomy.,  a cord or band of dense, tough, inelastic, white, fibrous tissue, serving to connect a muscle with a bone or part; sinew.

2. a reinforcing strand in prestressed concrete.

tendon

/ ˈtɛndən /

noun

1. a cord or band of white inelastic collagenous tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone or some other part; sinew

tendon

1. A band of tough, fibrous, inelastic tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. Tendons are made chiefly of collagen.

tendon

1. A tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects muscles to bones.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tendon¹

1535–45; < Medieval Latin tendōn- (stem of tendō ) < Greek ténōn sinew (spelling with -d- by association with Latin tendere to stretch)

Word History and Origins

Origin of tendon¹

C16: from Medieval Latin tendō, from Latin tendere to stretch; related to Greek tenōn sinew

Example Sentences

Earlier this season, the team lost veteran running back Najee Harris to a torn Achilles tendon.

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He was rehabilitating from that setback when he announced last March that he had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.

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They had put more on the shoulders of their rookie running back after losing veteran Najee Harris to a torn Achilles tendon in the second quarter of a Week 3 victory over Denver.

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One officer described how, if suspects refuse to have their fingerprints taken, he could pull two of their fingers hard to snap the tendons.

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"No painkillers as well, with their limbs hanging with a piece of skin and the tendon. Brain matter out. Organs are out. It's horrific," she added.

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Related Words

• hamstring 
• ligament 
• sinew 
• tissue