Main Entry: car·ti·lage

Pronunciation: \ˈkär-tə-lij, ˈkärt-lij\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin cartilagin-, cartilago

Date: 15th century

1 : a usually translucent somewhat elastic tissue that composes most of the skeleton of vertebrate embryos and except for a small number of structures (as some joints, respiratory passages, and the external ear) is replaced by bone during ossification in the higher vertebrates
2 : a part or structure composed of cartilage