meniscus

[ mi-nis-kuhs ]

noun

, plural me·nis·ci [mi-, nis, -ahy, -, nis, -kahy, -kee], me·nis·cus·es.

1. a crescent or a crescent-shaped body.
2. the convex or concave upper surface of a column of liquid, the curvature of which is caused by surface tension.
3. Optics. a lens with a crescent-shaped section; a concavo-convex or convexo-concave lens.
4. Anatomy. a disk of cartilage between the articulating ends of the bones in a joint.

meniscus

/ mɪˈnɪskəs /

noun

1. the curved upper surface of a liquid standing in a tube, produced by the surface tension
2. a crescent or half-moon-shaped body or design
3. a crescent-shaped fibrous cartilage between the bones at certain joints, esp at the knee
4. a crescent-shaped lens; a concavo-convex or convexo-concave lens

meniscus

/ mə-nĭs′kəs /

, Plural menisci mə-nĭs′ī,-kī,-kē

1. A lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other.
2. The curved upper surface of a column of liquid in a container. The surface is concave if the molecules of the liquid are attracted to the container walls and convex if they are not.
3. See also surface tension
4. A piece of cartilage shaped like a crescent and located at the junction of two bones in a joint. The meniscus acts to absorb shock.

Derived Forms

• meˈniscoid, adjective

Other Words From

• me·nis·coid [mi-, nis, -koid], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of meniscus¹

1685–95; < New Latin < Greek mēnískos crescent, diminutive of mḗnē moon

Word History and Origins

Origin of meniscus¹

C17: from New Latin, from Greek mēniskos crescent, diminutive of mēnē moon

Example Sentences

Porziņģis, though, saw his own run cut three games short after tearing the meniscus in his right knee.

From FiveThirtyEight

They’ll have to make that run without the services of forward Kelly Oubre, who is in Orlando with the team but will not participate in the restart as he focuses on rehabbing from the torn meniscus he suffered in late February.

From FiveThirtyEight

The camera is furnished with either meniscus achromatic or rapid rectilinear lens.

From Project Gutenberg

F is called a meniscus, or concavo-convex, being concave on one, and convex on the other side.

From Project Gutenberg

The curved meniscus which always forms at the top of the fat column should be included in the reading.

From Project Gutenberg

The images of the meniscus of the mercury column and of the moving fork are focused on the plate by a lens.

From Project Gutenberg

The pendulum marks and breaks the primary circuit by carrying a small platinum wire through a small mercury meniscus.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• arc
• arch
• contour
• loop
• trajectory