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 good news is that Condon suffered no ligament damage and no surgery is needed.
—Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2025
Both Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. lost their seasons to torn ligaments well before the trade deadline.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
The soft tissue of the ankle’s ligaments connects the ankle bones (like the tibia, fibula, and talus) to one another and stabilizes the joint.
—Alyssa Ages, Outside Online, 28 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ligament
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Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2025
Both Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. lost their seasons to torn ligaments well before the trade deadline.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
The soft tissue of the ankle’s ligaments connects the ankle bones (like the tibia, fibula, and talus) to one another and stabilizes the joint.
—Alyssa Ages, Outside Online, 28 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ligament
Cite this Entry
“Ligament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ligament. Accessed 23 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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