ligament
LIG-uh-munt
/ˈlɪɡəmənt/
A short band of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue which connects two bones or cartilages or holds together a joint.
Ligaments connect bone to bone, whereas tendons connect muscle to bone.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'ligamentum,' meaning a 'band' or 'tie.' It shares the same root as 'ligature' and 'religion' (which binds people together).
Commonly confused with
- tendon: Ligaments link bones; tendons link muscles to bones.
Word family
- ligamentous (adjective): Relating to or of the nature of a ligament.
Collocations
- torn ligament
- cruciate ligament
- ligament damage
Example sentences
- "He tore a ligament in his left knee during the final minutes of the match." Explaining a common knee injury.
Memory hook
Ligaments Like bones to bones. The biological rope that binds bones.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to the tissue that pulls a bone (that's a tendon).
Fun facts
- The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is one of the most commonly injured ligaments in athletes, especially in soccer and basketball.
Explore more words
vertebrate, attachment, suture, cohesion, flexibility, flexible
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.