ligament Definition

a tough fibrous band of tissue connecting the articular extremities of bones or supporting an organ in place

a connecting or unifying bond

a cruciate ligament of each knee that attaches the front of the tibia with the back of the femur and functions especially to prevent hyperextension of the knee and is subject to injury especially by tearing —called also ACL

either of two ligaments in the knee joint which cross each other from femur to tibia; especially : anterior cruciate ligament

a ligament of the inner knee that connects medial parts of the femur and tibia and helps to stabilize the knee joint —called also MCL

ulnar collateral ligament —called also MCL

a cruciate ligament of each knee that attaches the back of the tibia with the front of the femur and functions especially to limit the backward motion of the tibia

a ligament or fibrous membrane suspending an organ or part; especially : a ringlike fibrous membrane connecting the ciliary body and the lens of the eye and holding the lens in place

a triangular ligament of the inner side of the elbow that connects the medial parts of the humerus with the ulna, helps to stabilize the elbow joint, and is often injured in sports (such as baseball) which involve repeated overhand throwing —called also UCL

a ligament of the wrist on the little finger side that connects the distal end of the ulna with bones in the wrist and helps to stabilize the wrist joint —called also UCL

a ligament of the inner thumb that connects the two bones at the base of the thumb and helps to stabilize the thumb —called also UCL

a surgical procedure in which a torn ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow is replaced with a tendon graft typically obtained from a superficial muscle of the forearm : tommy john surgery