cartilage
noun
Simple meaning
A usually translucent and somewhat elastic, dense, nonvascular connective tissue found in different forms in the larynx and respiratory tract.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kahrtuhluhjSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈkɑɹtələdʒ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
anatomyuncountable
A usually translucent and somewhat elastic, dense, nonvascular connective tissue found in various forms in the larynx and respiratory tract, in structures such as the external ear, and in the articulating surfaces of joints. It composes most of the skeleton of vertebrate embryos, being replaced by bone during ossification in the higher vertebrates.
anatomyuncountable
Tough elastic tissue; mostly converted to bone in adults
“The surgeon repaired damaged cartilage in his knee after the injury.”
anatomycountable
A particular structure made of cartilage.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A usually translucent and somewhat elastic, dense, nonvascular connective tissue found in various forms in the larynx and respiratory tract, in structures such as the external ear, and in the articulating surfaces of joints. It composes most of the skeleton of vertebrate embryos, being replaced by bone during ossification in the higher vertebrates.
Used this way, cartilage is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. This is a clinical use: it belongs to medical description, where it is factual rather than emotive.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Medicine/healthcare
- Science
- Technical/specialist writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Nearby words
- gristle , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Any bone that develops within cartilage rather than a fibrous tissue.
The cartilages that connect the sternum and the ends of the ribs.
Translucent cartilage that is common in joints and the respiratory passages.
A disk of cartilage that serves as a cushion between the ends of bones that meet at a joint.
Either of two small cartilages at the back of the larynx to which the vocal folds are attached.
The largest cartilage of the larynx.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
Body structure given shape by cartilage.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
- bonenoun
- collagennoun
- osteoarthritisnoun
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: usually translucent and somewhat elastic or dense
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