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

Frankie Price, a redshirt senior, is expected back around midseason in her recovery from an Achilles tendon injury suffered during the NCAA regional semifinals. —Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 10 Jan. 2026

Sidelined for the second half of last season by a right hamstring tear that required surgery to reattach the tendon to the bone, Prescott thundered back by throwing for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing a league-high 404 passes. —Mike Jones, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026

Instead of just printing the face of the dinosaur, the face line of the ocular nose tendon symbolizing the rabidity of ‘Dinozaurus’ is inserted inside the mesh to reproduce the three-dimensional shape. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 6 Jan. 2026

MacKinnon said that bones heal normally, while tendons and ligaments are scary. —Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026

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