ball-and-socket joint

noun

ball-and-sock·​et joint ˈbȯl-ən(d)-ˈsä-kət- 

1

: a joint in which a ball moves within a socket so as to allow rotary motion in every direction within certain limits

2

: an articulation (such as the hip joint) in which the rounded head of one bone fits into a cuplike cavity of the other and admits movement in any direction

Illustration of ball-and-socket joint

• ball-and-socket joint 1

Examples of ball-and-socket joint in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket joint, with the sphere-like head of the upper arm bone (humerus) sitting in the socket of the shoulder blade. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026

However, the screen is mounted on a ball-and-socket joint and so can be moved around in a manner that brings to mind another relic of Ive’s tenure in Cupertino, the iMac G4. — Jeremy White, Wired News, 9 Feb. 2026

Initially, she was relieved to learn nothing was broken, but a follow-up appointment would show cracks in the ball-and-socket joint, leaving her in crutches for three months. — Nicole Stracek, Twin Cities, 8 Sep. 2025

After the sculpting is done, the puppets are separated into pieces, and an interior armature is made of steel ball-and-socket joints that can be used to animate the character. — Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2025

The hip, which is a ball-and-socket joint at the upper thigh bone, is most likely to be fractured at its uppermost portion, known as the femoral neck. — Nina Shapiro, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

Shepherds are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, painful genetic diseases in which the ball-and-socket joints fit together poorly. — Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 31 July 2023

The phone/camera mount features a ball-and-socket joint and the kit comes with the addition of a gooseneck mount for the ring light, making lighting and filming even the most intricate tabletop activities a breeze. — Good Housekeeping, 8 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1779, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ball-and-socket joint

• adjoint
• anoint
• appoint
• checkpoint
• conjoint
• disjoint
• endpoint
• gunpoint
• midpoint
• nonpoint
• pinpoint
• standpoint

Kids Definition

ball-and-socket joint

noun

: a joint (as in the hip) in which a rounded part moves within a socket so as to allow movements in many directions

Medical Definition

ball-and-socket joint

noun

: an articulation (as the hip joint) in which the rounded head of one bone fits into a cuplike cavity of the other and admits movement in any direction

called also enarthrosis