noun

meniscus

muh-NIS-kuss

Meniscus (noun) means Either of the two crescent-shaped pads of cartilage in the knee that sit between the thigh bone and shin bone and cushion the joint. Example: “He tore his meniscus twisting on a wet pitch.”

noun

anatomy Either of the two crescent-shaped pads of cartilage in the knee that sit between the thigh bone and shin bone and cushion the joint.

"He tore his meniscus twisting on a wet pitch."

"The scan showed a small tear in the medial meniscus."

physics The curved upper surface of a liquid in a narrow tube, caused by surface tension pulling the edges up or down.

"Read the measuring cylinder at the bottom of the meniscus."

optics A lens that is curved outwards on one side and inwards on the other.

"The telescope uses a thin meniscus corrector at the front."

How to use meniscus

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe crescent of cartilage that pads your knee, or the curved surface liquid makes in a tube.

When to use it

Technical in all its senses, though the knee meaning is common in everyday sports talk.

Easily confused with

ligament → ACL cartilage →

Common pairings

torn meniscus medial meniscus meniscus repair read the meniscus

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He tore his _____ twisting on a wet pitch.

Etymology

From Greek mēniskos 'crescent', a diminutive of mēnē 'moon'.

Origin: Greek

Synonyms

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knee cartilage semilunar cartilage

Rhymes for meniscus

discus hibiscus

See all rhymes for meniscus →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a meniscus tear and torn cartilage?

They usually describe the same injury. The meniscus is a specific piece of knee cartilage, so 'torn cartilage in the knee' almost always means a meniscus tear.

What is the plural of meniscus?

Both menisci, pronounced muh-NIS-eye or muh-NIS-kee, and meniscuses are accepted. Medical writing prefers menisci.

Why do you read a measurement at the bottom of the meniscus?

Water curves upward at the glass, so the flat centre of the curve gives the true level. The convention is to read the lowest point of the curve at eye level.

What is the meaning of meniscus?

"meniscus" (noun) means either of the two crescent-shaped pads of cartilage in the knee that sit between the thigh bone and shin bone and cushion the joint.