cruciate ligament

noun

: either of two ligaments in the knee joint which cross each other from femur to tibia

especially : anterior cruciate ligament

Examples of cruciate ligament in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to Nationwide, kidney disease and cranial cruciate ligament tears follow closely behind in the 11 and 12 spots. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 5 Mar. 2026

The forward has torn a cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee. — Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026

Two collateral ligaments run along the outside, while the two cruciate ligaments—including the ACL in front and the posterior cruciate ligament, or PCL, in back—crisscross diagonally to hold things together from the inside of the joint. — Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 31 July 2025

But a complete tear of either cruciate ligament could be crucial and mean that your knee joint goes a rocking in bad way. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1934, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

cruciate ligament

noun

: any of several more or less cross-shaped ligaments: as

a

: either of two ligaments in the knee joint which cross each other from femur to tibia:

(1)

: anterior cruciate ligament

(2)

: posterior cruciate ligament

b

: a complex ligament made up of the transverse ligament of the atlas and vertical fibrocartilage extending from the dens to the border of the foramen magnum