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
The Dolphins star was recently revealed to have undergone offseason surgery, as a ligament in his wrist was dealt with.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
Fontenelle, a Los Angeles Angels infield prospect, had torn ligaments in his ankle, dislocated it as well, and fractured his fibula.
—Sam Blum, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
The Sea Lions should get deeper before the playoffs with the return of 6-8 senior forward Wynton Brown, who has missed most of the past two weeks with a strained elbow ligament.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025
Surgery: If injections, OTC medications, and other methods aren't yielding results, surgery to repair the affected tendon or ligament is an option.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ligament
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Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
Fontenelle, a Los Angeles Angels infield prospect, had torn ligaments in his ankle, dislocated it as well, and fractured his fibula.
—Sam Blum, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
The Sea Lions should get deeper before the playoffs with the return of 6-8 senior forward Wynton Brown, who has missed most of the past two weeks with a strained elbow ligament.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025
Surgery: If injections, OTC medications, and other methods aren't yielding results, surgery to repair the affected tendon or ligament is an option.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 13 Feb. 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 13 Mar. 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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