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

This became even more imposing when, toward the end of Game Four—another one that the Knicks seemed poised to win—the Celtics star Jayson Tatum suffered an excruciating injury to his Achilles tendon and crumpled onto the hardwood, howling in pain. —Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 22 May 2025

This is especially true of the Achilles tendon which connects the calf muscle to the heel bone (calcaneus). —Catherine Moyer, Verywell Health, 22 May 2025

Noren, who suffered a torn tendon in his lower pelvis in January, made his first start of the season a week ago at the Truist Championship. —Justin Ray, New York Times, 18 May 2025

With Jayson Tatum lost for the rest of the playoffs and beyond after rupturing his Achilles tendon two nights earlier, White carried the scoring load for the Celtics, racking up 34 points on 9-of-16 shooting to help power Boston to a 129-102 victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 May 2025

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