tendon

noun

ten·​don ˈten-dən 

: a tough cord or band of dense white fibrous connective tissue that unites a muscle with some other part (such as a bone) and transmits the force which the muscle exerts

Examples of tendon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most recently, and the most serious injury, was the ruptured patellar tendon. —Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025

The quadriceps are four large thigh muscles that form two tendons that attach on either side of the kneecap. —Harlan Selesnick, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025

Maryland sophomore guard Rakease Passmore, who started his college basketball career at Kansas last season, will miss the 2025-26 campaign because of a torn Achilles tendon, the Terps announced Tuesday on social media. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025

The Padres have since lost All-Star Jason Adam to a ruptured quad tendon and Laureano’s to a fractured finger. —Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin tendōn-, tendō, probably derivative of Latin tendere "to extend outward, stretch" after Greek tenont-, ténōn "sinew, tendon," from ten-, variant stem of teínein "to stretch, extend" + -ont-, -ōn, deverbal noun suffix — more at tender entry 3

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tendon

• Achilles tendon
• tendon of Achilles

Kids Definition

tendon

noun

ten·​don ˈten-dən 

: a tough cord or band of dense white connective tissue that links a muscle to some other part (as a bone)

Medical Definition

tendon

noun

ten·​don ˈten-dən 

: a tough cord or band of dense white fibrous connective tissue that unites a muscle with some other part, transmits the force which the muscle exerts, and is continuous with the connective-tissue epimysium and perimysium of the muscle and when inserted into a bone with the periosteum of the bone