suspensory

American  

[suh-spen-suh-ree] / səˈspɛn sə ri /

noun

plural

suspensories

1. a supporting bandage, muscle, ligament, etc.

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adjective

1. serving as a suspensory.

2. suspending the operation of something.

suspensory British  

/ səˈspɛnsərɪ /

noun

1. Also called: suspensor.  anatomy a ligament or muscle that holds a structure or part in position

2. med a bandage, sling, etc, for supporting a dependent part

3. another name (esp US) for jockstrap

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adjective

1. suspending or supporting

2. anatomy (of a ligament or muscle) supporting or holding a structure or part in position

Etymology

Origin of suspensory

1535–45; < Latin suspēns ( us ) ( see suspense) + -ory ¹

Example Sentences

Sesamoid bones provide anchor points for the two branches of the suspensory ligament.

From Washington Times • Mar. 5, 2019

The action is slowing down, with suspensory moments: the troika returns to Athens and monitors the situation, while the Greek authorities delay and tinker about again.

From The Guardian • Jul. 15, 2015

Extending from the mesovarium itself is the suspensory ligament that contains the ovarian blood and lymph vessels.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Owned and trained by the same connections, Successful Dan has missed all of 2011 with a suspensory ligament injury.

From Washington Post • Nov. 26, 2011

Though the injury to the rapped leg was not serious—the horse was not even lame—he had always worried about that left front suspensory ligament and wanted to be at his home base if trouble developed.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand