What does ligament mean in medical terms?
ligament
Meaning: ligament
Type: Word root · Body system: Bones, Joints & Muscles
A word root is the core of a word; prefixes and suffixes attach around it. On this page: what ligament means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using ligament
ligamentous
ligament (ligament) + -ous (pertaining to) = pertaining to a ligament
ligament (ligament) + -ous (pertaining to) = pertaining to a ligament
ligamentum
ligament (ligament) + -um (structure) = a ligament structure (Latin form)
ligament (ligament) + -um (structure) = a ligament structure (Latin form)
Shortened forms
Charts and notes shorten long terms — see the Medical Abbreviations guide for the short forms you will meet in real records.
Please note: This section teaches the language of medicine — what word parts mean and how terms are built. It is an educational reference, not medical advice. For the meaning of a word in your own medical record, ask the clinician who wrote it.