meniscus

me·nis·cus   (mə-nĭs'kəs)    (click for larger image in new window) n.   pl. me·nis·ci (-nĭs'ī, -kī, -kē) or me·nis·cus·es A crescent-shaped body. A concavo-convex lens. The curved upper surface of a nonturbulent liquid in a container that is concave if the liquid wets the container walls and convex if it does not. A cartilage disk that acts as a cushion between the ends of bones that meet in a joint. [New Latin, from Greek mēniskos, diminutive of mēnē, moon, month; see mē-2 in Indo-European roots.] me·nis'cal (-kəl), me·nis'cate' (-kāt'), me·nis'coid' (-koid'), men'is·coi'dal (měn'ĭs-koid'l) adj.

Meniscus

Me*nis"cus\, n.; pl. L. Menisci (-s[=i]), E. Meniscuses. [NL., from Gr. ?, dim. of mh`nh the moon.]

1. A crescent.

2. (Opt.) A lens convex on one side and concave on the other.

3. (Anat.) An interarticular synovial cartilage or membrane; esp., one of the intervertebral synovial disks in some parts of the vertebral column of birds.

Converging meniscus, Diverging meniscus. See Lens.

meniscus 

Main Entry: me·nis·cus
Pronunciation: m&-'nis-k&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural me·nis·ci /-'nis-"(k)I, -"kE/ also me·nis·cus·es
1 : a crescent or crescent-shaped body
2 : a fibrous cartilage within ajoint: a : either of two crescent-shaped lamellae of fibrocartilage that border and partly cover the articulating surfaces of the tibia and femur at the knee : SEMILUNAR CARTILAGE: (1) : one mostly between the lateral condyles of the tibia and femur called alsoexternal semilunar fibrocartilage, lateral meniscus, lateral semilunar cartilage (2) : one mostly between the medial condyles of the tibia and femur called also internalsemilunar fibrocartilage, medial meniscus, medial semilunar cartilage b : a thin oval ligament of the temporomandibular joint that is situated between the condyle ofthe mandible and the mandibular fossa and separates the joint into two cavities
3 : a concavo-convex lens
4 : the curved upper surface of a liquid column thatis concave when the containing walls are wetted by the liquid and convex when not

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.

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

meniscus   (mə-nĭs'kəs)  Pronunciation Key  (click for larger image in new window) Plural menisci (mə-nĭs'ī, -kī, -kē) or meniscuses A lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other. 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. 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.