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

Hill dislocated his knee and tore multiple ligaments, including the ACL. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025

Hill is out for the season after injuring ligaments in his knee in the Dolphins’ Week 4 game against the New York Jets. —Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025

Back pain is unfortunately a common issue for midlife women, the experts say; musculoskeletal issues are common among perimenopausal and menopausal women because loss of estrogen impacts the bones, muscles and ligaments that support the spine. —Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Oct. 2025

Hill suffered damage to multiple knee ligaments (including the ACL) and also sustained a dislocated knee when he was tackled by a Jets defender following a sideline catch in Monday night’s 27-21 win. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 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