Related Searches
Nearby Words
Related Questions
What is meniscus?
What is a torn meniscus?

meniscus

 [mi-nis-kuhs]   Example Sentences Origin

me·nis·cus

   [mi-nis-kuhs]
noun, plural -nis·ci  [-nis-ahy, -nis-kahy, -kee] , -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.
Torn Meniscus www.everydayhealth.com Learn Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention on Any Health Issue.
Ad
Origin:
1685–95; < Neo-Latin < Greek mēnískos crescent, diminutive of mḗnē moon

Related forms
me·nis·coid  [mi-nis-koid] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To meniscus

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Meniscus is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Example Sentences
  • Your average water-walking insect makes a mountain out of a meniscus.
  • Jeremy's meniscus is touching the bottom of the graduated cylinder there.
  • If the cyst is painful, the goal of treatment is to correct the problem, such as arthritis or a meniscus tear.
EXPAND
Collins
World English Dictionary
meniscus (mɪˈnɪskəs)
 
—n , pl -nisci, -niscuses
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
 
[C17: from New Latin, from Greek mēniskos crescent, diminutive of mēnē moon]
 
me'niscoid
 
—adj

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

meniscus
"crescent-shaped body," 1693 in ref. to lenses, c.1812 in ref. to liquid surfaces, Mod.L. meniscus, from Gk. meniskos "lunar crescent," dim. of mene "moon."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

meniscus me·nis·cus (mə-nĭs'kəs)
n. pl. me·nis·cus·es or me·nis·ci (-nĭs'ī, -kī, -kē)

  1. A crescent-shaped body.

  2. A concavo-convex lens.

  3. The curved upper surface of a nonturbulent liquid in a container that is concave if the liquid wets the walls and convex if it does not.

  4. A disk of cartilage that acts as a cushion between the ends of bones in a joint.

me·nis'cal (-kəl) or me·nis'cate' (-kāt') or me·nis'coid' (-koid') or men'is·coi'dal (měn'ĭs-koid'l) adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
meniscus   (mə-nĭs'kəs)  Pronunciation Key 


(click for larger image in new window)

Plural menisci (mə-nĭs'ī, -kī, -kē) or meniscuses

  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. See also surface tension.

  3. 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.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriThesaurus
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT
How many words do you know? FIND OUT