MENISCUS


Meaning of MENISCUS in English

— meniscoid /mi nis"koyd/ , adj.

/mi nis"keuhs/ , n. , pl. menisci /-nis"uy, -nis"kuy, -kee/ , meniscuses .

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. See diag. under lens .

4. Anat. a disk of cartilage between the articulating ends of the bones in a joint.

[ 1685-95; menískos crescent, dim. of méne moon ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .