me·nis·cus (m -n s ks)n. pl. me·nis·ci (-n s , -k, -k ) or me·nis·cus·es 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 container walls and convex if it does not. 4. A cartilage disk that acts as a cushion between the ends of bones that meet in a joint. [New Latin, from Greek m niskos, diminutive of mn, moon, month; see m-2 in Indo-European roots.]me·nis cal (-kl), me·niscate (-k t), me·niscoid (-koid), menis·coidal (m ns-koidl) adj. |   anterior view of a knee joint |
meniscus [mɪˈnɪskəs]
n pl -nisci [-ˈnɪsaɪ], -niscuses
1. (Physics / General Physics) the curved upper surface of a liquid standing in a tube, produced by the surface tension
2. a crescent or half-moon-shaped body or design
3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) a crescent-shaped fibrous cartilage between the bones at certain joints, esp at the knee
4. (Physics / General Physics) a crescent-shaped lens; a concavo-convex or convexo-concave lens
[from New Latin, from Greek mēniskos crescent, diminutive of mēnē moon]
meniscoid adj
| meniscus (m-nsks) Plural menisci (m -ns, -k, -k) or meniscuses 1. A lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other. 2. 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. 3. 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. |  left: Water and glass molecules are attracted to each other, causing the surface of the water to attach to the glass and curve upward. right: Mercury and glass molecules are repulsed by each other, causing the surface of the mercury to curve downward and away from the glass. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  meniscus - (anatomy) a disk of cartilage that serves as a cushion between the ends of bones that meet at a jointanatomy, general anatomy - the branch of morphology that deals with the structure of animals |
| 2. | meniscus - (optics) a lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other lens, lens system, lense - a transparent optical device used to converge or diverge transmitted light and to form images optics - the branch of physics that studies the physical properties of light | |
| 3. | meniscus - (physics) the curved upper surface of a nonturbulent liquid in a vertical tube surface - the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary; "there is a special cleaner for these surfaces"; "the cloth had a pattern of red dots on a white surface" natural philosophy, physics - the science of matter and energy and their interactions; "his favorite subject was physics" |
How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
| ?Page tools | ||
|---|---|---|
|