meniscus

Meanings

Plural: menisci, meniscuses

Noun

• (anatomy) a disk of cartilage that serves as a cushion between the ends of bones that meet at a joint
• (optics) a lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other
• (physics) the curved upper surface of a nonturbulent liquid in a vertical tube
• A crescent moon, or an object shaped like it.
• A lens which is convex on one side and concave on the other, being crescent-shaped in cross-section.
• The curved surface of liquids in tubes, whether concave or convex, caused by the surface tension of the liquid.
• Either of two parts of the human knee that provide structural integrity to the knee when it undergoes tension and torsion.

Synonyms

semilunar cartilage

Related Words

lunette