meniscus

noun me·nis·cus \mə-ˈnis-kəs\

plural me·nis·ci \-ˈni-ˌskī, -ˌskē, -ˌsī\ also me·nis·cus·es

Definition of MENISCUS

: a crescent or crescent-shaped body

: a concavo-convex lens

: the curved upper surface of a column of liquid

: a fibrous cartilage within a joint especially of the knee

See meniscus defined for kids

Origin of MENISCUS

New Latin, from Greek mēniskos, from diminutive of mēnē moon, crescent — more at moon

First Known Use: 1685

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

Rhymes with MENISCUS

hibiscus

Medical Dictionary

meniscus

noun me·nis·cus \mə-ˈnis-kəs\

plural me·nis·ci \-ˈnis-ˌ(k)ī, -ˌkē\ also me·nis·cus·es

Medical Definition of MENISCUS

: a crescent or crescent-shaped body

: a fibrous cartilage within a joint: 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 also external semilunar fibrocartilage, lateral meniscus, lateral semilunar cartilage (2) : one mostly between the medial condyles of the tibia and femur—called also internal semilunar fibrocartilage, medial meniscus, medial semilunar cartilage b : a thin oval ligament of the temporomandibular joint that is situated between the condyle of the mandible and the mandibular fossa and separates the joint into two cavities

: a concavo-convex lens

: the curved upper surface of a liquid column that is concave when the containing walls are wetted by the liquid and convex when not