cartilage
noun
car·ti·lage
ˈkär-tə-lij 
ˈkärt-lij
1
: a usually translucent (see translucent sense 1) somewhat elastic tissue that composes most of the skeleton of vertebrate embryos and except for a small number of structures (such as some joints, respiratory passages, and the external ear) is replaced by bone during ossification in the higher vertebrates
2
: a part or structure composed of cartilage
Examples of cartilage in a Sentence
She fell and damaged some cartilage in her knee.
Recent Examples on the Web
The cartilage began to bubble, which the postdoc thought was from heat.
—
Meghie Rodrigues, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2025
Participants who adopted a personalized foot angle reported less pain and showed fewer signs of cartilage degradation than those who walked normally.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
The study concluded that the group of participants who made adjustments to the angle of their feet when walking experienced less pain and cartilage damage in comparison to the group who didn’t receive the intervention.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
That year, Adcock fractured his knee twice, tearing his patella and meniscus cartilage.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cartilage
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Meghie Rodrigues, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2025
Participants who adopted a personalized foot angle reported less pain and showed fewer signs of cartilage degradation than those who walked normally.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
The study concluded that the group of participants who made adjustments to the angle of their feet when walking experienced less pain and cartilage damage in comparison to the group who didn’t receive the intervention.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
That year, Adcock fractured his knee twice, tearing his patella and meniscus cartilage.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cartilage
Cite this Entry
“Cartilage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cartilage. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cartilage
noun
car·ti·lage
ˈkärt-ᵊl-ij
ˈkärt-lij
1
: an elastic tissue which composes most of the skeleton of the vertebrate embryo and much of which is changed to bone later in life
2
: a part or structure composed of cartilage
Medical Definition
cartilage
noun
car·ti·lage
ˈkärt-ᵊl-ij, ˈkärt-lij
1
: a usually translucent somewhat elastic tissue that composes most of the skeleton of vertebrate embryos and except for a small number of structures (as some joints, respiratory passages, and the external ear) is replaced by bone during ossification in the higher vertebrates
2
: a part or structure composed of cartilage
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