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

ligamentous

ˌli-gə-ˈmen-təs 

adjective

Examples of ligament in a Sentence

He sprained ligaments in his knee.

Recent Examples on the Web

The internal brace procedure repairs the UCL and then reinforces it with a tape-like suture instead of fixing it through a full reconstruction like Tommy John, which replaces the existing ligament with a graft usually taken from the pitcher’s hamstring tendon. —Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 25 Nov. 2024

The chemistry down the right flank is fundamental to Arsenal’s attacking play and it has already been disrupted by Martin Odegaard’s ankle ligament injury which kept him out for two months. —Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024

City has endured an uncharacteristically difficult start to the 2024-25 season having lost Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri to a serious knee ligament injury in September. —Jamie Barton, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024

Doing so could cause damage to all of the stuff surrounding and supporting your shoulder joint, like your ligaments and muscles. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024

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

Phrases Containing ligament

• anterior cruciate ligament
• cruciate ligament
• medial collateral ligament
• posterior cruciate ligament
• suspensory ligament
• ulnar collateral ligament
• ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction

Kids 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