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tendon

American  
[ten-duhn] / ˈtɛn dən /

noun

  1. Anatomy. a cord or band of dense, tough, inelastic, white, fibrous tissue, serving to connect a muscle with a bone or part; sinew.

  2. a reinforcing strand in prestressed concrete.

tendon British  
/ ˈtɛndən /

noun

  1. a cord or band of white inelastic collagenous tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone or some other part; sinew

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
tendon Scientific  
/ tĕn′dən /

  1. A band of tough, fibrous, inelastic tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. Tendons are made chiefly of collagen.

tendon Cultural  

  1. A tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects muscles to bones.

Etymology

Origin of tendon

1535–45; < Medieval Latin tendōn- (stem of tendō ) < Greek ténōn sinew (spelling with -d- by association with Latin tendere to stretch)

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon in March 2025 and underwent back surgery last October.

From Barron's

Woods has been recovering from rupturing an Achilles tendon in March 2025 and back surgery in October.

From BBC

Woods, who turned 50 last December, has been working to return from an Achilles tendon rupture last March and back surgery last October.

From Barron's

Following severe leg injuries in a 2021 car crash, the American had a back operation in September 2024 and then suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last March.

From BBC

Just three years ago, the Mets lost closer Edwin Díaz for the entire 2023 campaign after he tore a tendon in his knee celebrating a Puerto Rico victory in the same tournament.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.