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

Slumping and hunching creates undue strain and tension on muscles, joints, discs, and ligaments, which can lead to next-day achiness, interfering with sleep quality. —Hilary Tetenbaum, Detroit Free Press, 8 Apr. 2024

The best postpartum belly wraps provide 360-degree support to help the abdominal wall recover, stabilize your core, back, and ligaments, and assist with correct posture, which is a big bonus when breastfeeding or bottle feeding a baby. —Maya Polton, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024

Felix, who is on loan from Atletico Madrid, suffered a sprain of a ligament in his right ankle at the end of January and wasn't expected to be back so soon. —Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024

The condition, in which a blood vessel expands or bulges and can eventually rupture, is fairly novel within the game, where tendons, ligaments and soft tissue are usually of more concern. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024

Murray suffered a torn ligament in his knee in 2022 and Kingsbury was fired at the end of that 4-13 season. —Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024

All these point to a more serious problem, such as a torn meniscus or ligament, which need medical treatment. —Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 14 Feb. 2024

Ankle sprains, ligament ruptures and tendon ruptures have different recovery periods and treatment plans. —Katherine Kallergis, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

These 27 bones give each hand its rigid, knuckled structure, while joined and surrounded with muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves that connect with other elements of the body and carry out directions from the brain. —Sabrina Sholts, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024

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

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

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