meniscus

noun

me·​nis·​cus mə-ˈni-skəs 

plural menisci mə-ˈni-ˌskī 

-ˌskē,

-ˌsī

also meniscuses

1

: a crescent or crescent-shaped body

2

: a concavo-convex lens

3

: the curved upper surface of a column of liquid

4

: a fibrous cartilage within a joint especially of the knee

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

However, his 2022 season was limited to just 60 games due to a stress fracture in his back and a torn meniscus in his knee. —Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2023

Cam Johnson returned Thursday after missing 37 games returning from a torn right meniscus suffered Nov. 4 versus Portland. —Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 21 Jan. 2023

Will Maher, Kyrgios’s longtime physiotherapist, said during the Monday news conference that Kyrgios underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test last week that revealed both a cyst and a slight tear in his meniscus. —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2023

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reports that Corum's surgery was to repair a full tear of his meniscus, which typically requires a six-month rehab. —Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press, 9 Jan. 2023

Johnson will remain out after having a procedure done on his right meniscus Tuesday. —Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 9 Nov. 2022

Williams appeared hobbled after returning for the playoffs following surgery on his left meniscus, and now he is expected to miss about two more months after undergoing a maintenance procedure on that joint. —Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Oct. 2022

After suffering a torn meniscus in April, Thompson was a second-team all-area defensive back selection this season by the (Murfreesboro) Daily News Journal after transferring from Siegel High last January. —Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 27 Dec. 2022

Payne has missed Phoenix’s last six games while Johnson hasn’t played since suffering a torn right meniscus in a Nov. 4 loss against Portland. —Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 27 Dec. 2022

See More

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek mēniskos, from diminutive of mēnē moon, crescent — more at moon

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

meniscus

noun

me·​nis·​cus mə-ˈnis-kəs 

plural menisci -ˈnis-ˌ(k)ī 

-ˌkē

also meniscuses

: the curved upper surface of a liquid column

Medical Definition

meniscus

noun

me·​nis·​cus mə-ˈnis-kəs 

plural menisci -ˈnis-ˌ(k)ī, -ˌkē  also meniscuses

1

: a crescent or crescent-shaped body

2

: a fibrous cartilage within a joint:

a

: either of two crescent-shaped lamellae of fibrocartilage that border and partly cover the articulating surfaces of the tibia and femur at the knee : semilunar cartilage:

(1)

: one mostly between the lateral condyles of the tibia and femur

called also external semilunar fibrocartilage, lateral meniscus, lateral semilunar cartilage

(2)

: one mostly between the medial condyles of the tibia and femur

called also internal semilunar fibrocartilage, medial meniscus, medial semilunar cartilage

b

: a thin oval ligament of the temporomandibular joint that is situated between the condyle of the mandible and the mandibular fossa and separates the joint into two cavities

3

: a concavo-convex lens

4

: the curved upper surface of a liquid column that is concave when the containing walls are wetted by the liquid and convex when not