ligament

noun

lig·​a·​ment ˈli-gə-mənt 

1

: a tough fibrous band of tissue connecting the articular extremities of bones or supporting an organ in place

2

: a connecting or unifying bond

… the law of nations, the great ligament of mankind.

—Edmund Burke

ligamentous

ˌli-gə-ˈmen-təs 

adjective

Examples of ligament in a Sentence

He sprained ligaments in his knee.

Recent Examples on the Web

When sleeping in awkward positions, our bodies lie motionless in that position overnight, adding stress not only to our nerves, but to our muscles and ligaments as well. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 7 Dec. 2025

Collagen is naturally found in your body, especially your skin, teeth, bones, ligaments, and organs. —Wendy Wisner, Health, 5 Dec. 2025

Internal decapitation occurs when ligaments and/or bony structures connecting the skull to the spine are damaged, according to a paper published in the World Journal of Orthopedics. —Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025

And what if point guard Jake Lifgren, an 18-points-per-game scorer, hadn’t gone down with an ACL tear in January of the 2023–24 season — and then torn the same ligament again on the eve of the next one? —Noah Perkins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin ligamentum, from Latin, band, tie, from ligare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ligament

• anterior cruciate ligament
• cruciate ligament
• medial collateral ligament
• posterior cruciate ligament
• suspensory ligament
• ulnar collateral ligament
• ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction

Kids Definition

ligament

noun

lig·​a·​ment ˈlig-ə-mənt 

: a tough band of tissue that holds bones together or keeps an organ in place in the body

Etymology

Middle English ligament "connecting tissue, ligament," derived from Latin ligamentum "band, something used for tying," from ligare "to bind, tie" — related to ally

Medical Definition

ligament

noun

lig·​a·​ment ˈlig-ə-mənt 

1

: a tough band of tissue that serves to connect the articular extremities of bones or to support or retain an organ in place and is usually composed of coarse bundles of dense white fibrous tissue parallel or closely interlaced, pliant, and flexible, but not extensible

2

: any of various folds or bands of pleura, peritoneum, or mesentery connecting parts or organs