anterior cruciate ligament

noun

: a cruciate ligament of each knee that attaches the front of the tibia with the back of the femur and functions especially to prevent hyperextension of the knee and is subject to injury especially by tearing

called also ACL

Examples of anterior cruciate ligament in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ten months after tearing his right knee’s anterior cruciate ligament, Hufanga made his season debut last Sunday, recording seven tackles and playing 53-of-58 defensive snaps in a 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. —Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2024

Leonard suffered a partial tear of an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that sidelined him for the 2021-22 season, a meniscus tear during the 2023 playoffs and now the knee inflammation that is impacting his playing time across two seasons. —Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024

But his career was marred by injuries, with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in the 2011-12 playoffs and a torn meniscus that needed surgery two seasons later severely reducing his minutes on the court. —Reuters, NBC News, 26 Sep. 2024

Between 2018 and 2021, the forward missed 61 matches, with the most significant injury being a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). —Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

anterior cruciate ligament

noun

: a cruciate ligament of each knee that is attached in front to the more medial aspect of the tibia, that passes upward, backward, and laterally through the middle of the knee crossing the posterior cruciate ligament to attach to the femur, that functions to prevent hyperextension of the knee and to keep the tibia from sliding forward in relation to the femur, and that is subject to sports injury especially by tearing

called also ACL