meniscus

noun

me·​nis·​cus mə-ˈni-skəs 

plural menisci mə-ˈni-ˌskī 

-ˌskē,

-ˌsī

also meniscuses

1

: a crescent or crescent-shaped body

2

: a concavo-convex lens

3

: the curved upper surface of a column of liquid

4

: a fibrous cartilage within a joint especially of the knee

Examples of meniscus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Last summer, Carolyn tore her meniscus and had to undergo knee surgery. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 9 June 2025

Remarkably, Boisson had ACL and meniscus surgery around this time last year, keeping her away from the tour for nine months. —George Ramsay, CNN Money, 2 June 2025

Trout played in 29 games last season before suffering a torn meniscus in late April. —Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

Austin Slater, who was out from April 11 to May 18 with a right knee meniscus tear, is also back to provide outfield depth. —Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek mēniskos, from diminutive of mēnē moon, crescent — more at moon

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for meniscus

• hibiscus
• discus
• viscous
• viscus

Kids Definition

meniscus

noun

me·​nis·​cus mə-ˈnis-kəs 

plural menisci -ˈnis-ˌ(k)ī 

-ˌkē

also meniscuses

: the curved upper surface of a liquid column

Medical Definition

meniscus

noun

me·​nis·​cus mə-ˈnis-kəs 

plural menisci -ˈnis-ˌ(k)ī, -ˌkē  also meniscuses

1

: a crescent or crescent-shaped body

2

: a fibrous cartilage within a joint:

a

: either of two crescent-shaped lamellae of fibrocartilage that border and partly cover the articulating surfaces of the tibia and femur at the knee : semilunar cartilage:

(1)

: one mostly between the lateral condyles of the tibia and femur

called also external semilunar fibrocartilage, lateral meniscus, lateral semilunar cartilage

(2)

: one mostly between the medial condyles of the tibia and femur

called also internal semilunar fibrocartilage, medial meniscus, medial semilunar cartilage

b

: a thin oval ligament of the temporomandibular joint that is situated between the condyle of the mandible and the mandibular fossa and separates the joint into two cavities

3

: a concavo-convex lens

4

: the curved upper surface of a liquid column that is concave when the containing walls are wetted by the liquid and convex when not