ligament

noun

lig·​a·​ment ˈli-gə-mənt How to pronounce ligament (audio)
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 mankindEdmund Burke
ligamentous adjective

Examples of ligament in a Sentence

He sprained ligaments in his knee.
Recent Examples on the Web These 27 bones give each hand its rigid, knuckled structure, while joined and surrounded with muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves that connect with other elements of the body and carry out directions from the brain. Sabrina Sholts, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 Guard Nick Allegretti, who played nearly three quarters of the Super Bowl with a torn ligament in his elbow, high-fived fans while wearing a Chicago Blackhawks Conner Bedard jersey. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2024 Hodgkins said many patients go through rehab and still require surgical reconstruction of the ligament in the ankle. Katherine Kallergis, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Specifically, to repair the Glenohumeral ligaments. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2024 Studies show that the rib cage can expand two to three inches and ligaments can stretch between the second and third trimester. Audrey Noble, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 Fortunately, Morelli did not not suffer any ligament damage and was cleared after missing about a month-and-a-half. Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 22 Jan. 2024 Relaxin is believed to be responsible for loosening the ligaments that hold the pelvic bones together and relaxing the uterine muscle. Lambeth Hochwald, Parents, 7 Jan. 2024 Ehler-Danlos syndrome is a group of genetic disorders that affect the body’s ability to form and use collagen and other proteins that serve as the building blocks for skin, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and more. Korin Miller, SELF, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ligament.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ligament was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ligament

Cite this Entry

“Ligament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ligament. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ligament

noun
lig·​a·​ment ˈlig-ə-mənt How to pronounce ligament (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce ligament (audio)
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

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