cartilaginous

adjective

car·ti·lag·i·nous | \ ˌkär-tə-ˈla-jə-nəs

Definition of cartilaginous

: composed of, relating to, or resembling cartilage The external nose has a cartilaginous framework.

Examples of cartilaginous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But these massive cartilaginous critters are not the largest fish to ever glide through the ocean. — Julissa Treviño, Smithsonian, "Why Did Most Massive Bony Fish Behemoths Die Out?," 4 June 2018 That's right—the cartilaginous creature in question, now called Helicoprion, was extinct before dinosaurs ever existed. — Steve Mirsky, Scientific American, "Sharklike Helicoprion Ruled Its Environs with a Row of Vertical Teeth," 1 Oct. 2017 Our preliminary hypothesis is that the creatures were green or blue, with long cartilaginous beaks. — Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, "Captain’s Log," 18 Sep. 2017 All that protects us from aspirating is a thin, cartilaginous flap of tissue called the epiglottis. — Douglas Jacobs, Washington Post, "Problems swallowing are a big killer, but the treatment can be horrible," 7 Mar. 2018 The pasta’s quill-like form and perpendicular ridges are said to resemble the cartilaginous rings in a chicken’s trachea. — AJC.com, "Fill up on this Old Fourth Ward pasta dish, back by popular demand," 24 Feb. 2018 In lieu of scales, bony plates called scutes cover the sturgeon’s cartilaginous bodies. — Julia Kramer, Bon Appetit, "Spears, Beers, and Caviar: Fishing for Sturgeon in Wisconsin," 6 Feb. 2017 In lieu of scales, bony plates called scutes cover the sturgeon’s cartilaginous bodies. — Julia Kramer, Bon Appetit, "Spears, Beers, and Caviar: Fishing for Sturgeon in Wisconsin," 6 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cartilaginous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.