ligament

noun

lig·​a·​ment ˈli-gə-mənt How to pronounce ligament (audio)
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 mankindEdmund Burke
ligamentous adjective

Examples of ligament in a Sentence

He sprained ligaments in his knee.
Recent Examples on the Web The Padres announced Friday that starter Joe Musgrove is out for the playoffs and through next season after tearing the ulnar ligament in his right elbow during the fourth inning of San Diego’s Wild Card game Wednesday at Petco. Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 5 Oct. 2024 While this is happening, the collagen in the body wall in that region softens and breaks, and so do the muscles and ligaments that hold together ossicles. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Sep. 2024 The Dodgers were already without homegrown arms Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, who had Tommy John surgery last year, and Emmet Sheehan and Kyle Hurt, who underwent the elbow ligament replacement procedure this season. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2024 Deeper injuries like bones or deep ligaments will not benefit and the topical benefits can not be absorb deep enough to have an impact. Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ligament 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ligament.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ligament was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ligament

Cite this Entry

“Ligament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ligament. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

ligament

noun
lig·​a·​ment ˈlig-ə-mənt How to pronounce ligament (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce ligament (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on ligament

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