ten·don / ˈtendən/ • n. a flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone. ∎  the hamstring of a quadruped.DERIVATIVES: ten·di·nous / -dənəs/ adj.

tendon (ten-dŏn) n. a tough whitish cord, consisting of numerous parallel bundles of collagen fibres, that serves to attach a muscle to a bone. Tendons assist in concentrating the pull of the muscle on a small area of bone. t. sheath a tubular sac, lined with synovial membrane and containing synovial fluid, that surrounds some tendons. See also aponeurosis. t. transfer plastic surgery in which the tendon from an unimportant muscle is used to replace the damaged tendon of an important muscle.
—tendinous (ten-din-ŭs) adj.

tendon A thick strand or sheet of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone. Tendons consist of collagen fibres and are therefore inelastic: they ensure that the force exerted by muscular contraction is transmitted to the relevant part of the body to be moved.

tendon Strong, flexible band of connective tissue of the protein collagen that joins muscle to bone.

tendon XVI. — F. tendon or medL. tendō, -ōn-, f. L. tendere stretch, tr. Gr. ténōn sinew, sb. use of aorist ppl. of teínein stretch.