tendon

noun

ten·​don ˈten-dən 

: a tough cord or band of dense white fibrous connective tissue that unites a muscle with some other part (such as a bone) and transmits the force which the muscle exerts

Examples of tendon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tatum missed 66 games while recovering from a torn right Achilles tendon, leaving Brown in the top role for the first time in his career. — Jay King, New York Times, 1 July 2026

LaVine appeared in only 39 games last season after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right hand. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026

Technicians seated along an assembly line were fastening artificial tendons to the fingers to link them with actuators in the wrist. — Stephen Witt, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

Next, the researchers added a tiny bead containing bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), forcing the blastema to produce new pieces of bone, ligament, and tendon tissue. — Mike McRae 28, New Atlas, 28 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin tendōn-, tendō, probably derivative of Latin tendere "to extend outward, stretch" after Greek tenont-, ténōn "sinew, tendon," from ten-, variant stem of teínein "to stretch, extend" + -ont-, -ōn, deverbal noun suffix — more at tender entry 3

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tendon

• Achilles tendon
• tendon of Achilles

Kids Definition

tendon

noun

ten·​don ˈten-dən 

: a tough cord or band of dense white connective tissue that links a muscle to some other part (as a bone)

Medical Definition

tendon

noun

ten·​don ˈten-dən 

: a tough cord or band of dense white fibrous connective tissue that unites a muscle with some other part, transmits the force which the muscle exerts, and is continuous with the connective-tissue epimysium and perimysium of the muscle and when inserted into a bone with the periosteum of the bone