ligament
noun
lig·a·ment
ˈli-gə-mənt 
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 mankind—
Edmund Burke
Edmund BurkeExamples of ligament in a Sentence
He sprained ligaments in his knee.
Recent Examples on the Web
However, Acuna sustained a torn knee ligament on May 26 last year and missed the rest of the season.
—John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Yet, the Dodgers are still working him out as a pitcher after his second surgery to repair the ulnar ligament in that elbow.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 15 May 2025
The next spring, Callihan was involved in a car accident and suffered a torn ligament in his thumb, limiting him to 88 games in 2022.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 6 May 2025
Two of the skeletons were exceptionally well-preserved, with their skin, ligaments and tissues still intact, reports CNN’s Katie Hunt.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ligament
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John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Yet, the Dodgers are still working him out as a pitcher after his second surgery to repair the ulnar ligament in that elbow.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 15 May 2025
The next spring, Callihan was involved in a car accident and suffered a torn ligament in his thumb, limiting him to 88 games in 2022.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 6 May 2025
Two of the skeletons were exceptionally well-preserved, with their skin, ligaments and tissues still intact, reports CNN’s Katie Hunt.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ligament
Cite this Entry
“Ligament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ligament. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ligament
noun
lig·a·ment
ˈlig-ə-mənt
: 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
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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