ligament

noun

lig·​a·​ment ˈli-gə-mənt 

1

: a tough fibrous band of tissue connecting the articular extremities of bones or supporting an organ in place

2

: a connecting or unifying bond

… the law of nations, the great ligament of mankind.

—Edmund Burke

ligamentous

ˌli-gə-ˈmen-təs 

adjective

Examples of ligament in a Sentence

He sprained ligaments in his knee.

Recent Examples on the Web

Surgery to repair ligament damage in the elbow is scary for any pitcher, young or old. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026

In that time, the popular Danish rider confronted his sporting mortality — a terrifying crash at the Route d’Occitanie in June 2022 left him with a dislocated hip, broken pelvis, and numerous ligament tears in his knee. —Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026

Richards is a health concern after tearing two left ankle ligaments on May 17. —Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026

Gerrit Cole pitched six scoreless innings in his return from elbow ligament replacement surgery but shortstop José Caballero's error led to a four-run eighth inning that boosted the Tampa Bay Rays over the New York Yankees 4-2 on Friday night for their 16th win in 19 games. —CBS News, 22 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin ligamentum, from Latin, band, tie, from ligare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ligament

• anterior cruciate ligament
• cruciate ligament
• medial collateral ligament
• posterior cruciate ligament
• suspensory ligament
• ulnar collateral ligament
• ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction

Kids Definition

ligament

noun

lig·​a·​ment ˈlig-ə-mənt 

: a tough band of tissue that holds bones together or keeps an organ in place in the body

Etymology

Middle English ligament "connecting tissue, ligament," derived from Latin ligamentum "band, something used for tying," from ligare "to bind, tie" — related to ally

Medical Definition

ligament

noun

lig·​a·​ment ˈlig-ə-mənt 

1

: a tough band of tissue that serves to connect the articular extremities of bones or to support or retain an organ in place and is usually composed of coarse bundles of dense white fibrous tissue parallel or closely interlaced, pliant, and flexible, but not extensible

2

: any of various folds or bands of pleura, peritoneum, or mesentery connecting parts or organs