ligament
n. countablen. a tough, flexible band of tissue that connects two bones in your body. It helps hold your joints together and keeps them stable when you move.
n. a short band of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue which connects two bones or cartilages or holds together a joint.
He tore a ligament in his knee while playing soccer.
The surgeon explained that the ligament would take several months to heal completely after the reconstruction.
Unlike muscles, which are highly vascular and heal relatively quickly, a damaged ligament receives less blood flow, often resulting in a prolonged and delicate recovery period for the athlete.
From Middle English ligament, from Latin ligāmentum, from ligō (“tie, bind”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Commonly used in medical and athletic contexts; often paired with verbs like 'tear', 'strain', or 'rupture'.
he hurt his knee tendonhe hurt his knee ligamentLearners often confuse 'ligament' (bone to bone) with 'tendon' (muscle to bone).
Last updated May 6, 2026