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

Woods had his seventh back surgery in September 2025, and had ruptured his Achilles tendon in March of that year. —Melissa Gaffney, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026

Woods ruptured his Achilles tendon in March 2025 and that kept him off the course all season even before the back surgery. —Cody Jackson, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Moody, who tore his left patellar tendon, was with the team on the flight back to the Bay Area on Monday night, and then the Warriors did not practice on Tuesday. —Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026

Kyle Fraser was medically evacuated in episode 1 due to a ruptured achilles tendon (season 48, winner). —Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 26 Mar. 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