nounWord forms: plural-nisci (-ˈnɪsaɪ) or -niscuses
1.
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.
a crescent-shaped fibrous cartilage between the bones at certain joints, esp at the knee
4.
a crescent-shaped lens; a concavo-convex or convexo-concave lens
Derived forms
meniscoid (meˈniscoid)
adjective
Word origin
C17: from New Latin, from Greek mēniskos crescent, diminutive of mēnē moon
meniscus in American English
(məˈnɪskəs)
nounWord forms: pluralmeˈniscuses or meˈnisˌci (mɪˈnɪsˌaɪ)
1.
a crescent or crescent-shaped thing
2.
a lens convex on one side and concave on the other
3.
fibrous cartilage within a joint, esp. of the knee
4. Physics
the curved upper surface of a column of liquid: as a result of capillarity it is concave when the walls of the container strongly attract the liquid, as is the case with water, and it is convex when the liquid is more strongly attracted to itself,as is the case with mercury
Word origin
ModL < Gr mēniskos, dim. of mēnē, the moon
Examples of 'meniscus' in a sentence
meniscus
Orpishurda, sitting next to Burnell, was assiduous in filling their glasses till a meniscus twinkled.