anterior cruciate ligament

noun

: a cruciate ligament of each knee that attaches the front of the tibia with the back of the femur and functions especially to prevent hyperextension of the knee and is subject to injury especially by tearing

called also ACL

Examples of anterior cruciate ligament in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Timber missed almost all of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, while White has missed large periods of this year after knee surgery. —Art De Roché, New York Times, 3 May 2025

Their All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving is now out for the season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament during the first quarter of Monday’s loss to the Sacramento Kings. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

Watson, the Packers’ top deep option, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the Packers’ 2024 regular-season finale. —Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025

Madrid’s initial plan was to sign a centre-back in 2025, but that was brought forward a year following David Alaba’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in December 2023. —Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

anterior cruciate ligament

noun

: a cruciate ligament of each knee that is attached in front to the more medial aspect of the tibia, that passes upward, backward, and laterally through the middle of the knee crossing the posterior cruciate ligament to attach to the femur, that functions to prevent hyperextension of the knee and to keep the tibia from sliding forward in relation to the femur, and that is subject to sports injury especially by tearing

called also ACL