ligament

Where does the word "ligament" come from? It comes from Latin ligamentum, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Ligament’s story begins in Latin: ligamentum meant “a binding, a band.” From ligare (to bind), a band of tissue binding bones together. It reached English by 1400s as ligament. Settled as the English word for the connective tissue binding joints. Today, ligament means a tough band of tissue connecting bones at a joint.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient ligamentum "a binding, a band", from ligare (to bind), a band of tissue binding bones together.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s ligament "a tissue connecting bones at a joint", settled as the English word for the connective tissue binding joints.