medial collateral ligament

noun

plural medial collateral ligaments
1
: a ligament of the inner knee that connects medial parts of the femur and tibia and helps to stabilize the knee joint
… Barry Sanders, sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee on Thanksgiving, but the reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.Peter King

called also MCL

2
: ulnar collateral ligament
… preliminary review of an MRI conducted yesterday on Williamson's injured right arm indicated he may have torn the reconstructed medial collateral ligament in his elbow …Bob Hohler

called also MCL

Examples of medial collateral ligament in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Justin Kluivert recently had surgery on his left knee, Tyler Adams is sidelined for several more weeks at least after tearing the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee in December and Marcus Tavernier sustained a hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. James McNicholas, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026 Forward Adou Thiero remains out with a right medial collateral ligament sprain and guard Austin Reaves is closing in on the final week of the initial four-week timetable provided for his left calf strain. Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026 Vonn crashed at the 2013 World Championships in Austria, tearing her anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and fracturing her tibial plateau. Sierra Shafer, Outside, 18 Nov. 2025 For New York, Breanna Stewart scored 30 points despite having sprained the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in her left knee in Sunday’s Game 1. Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for medial collateral ligament

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of medial collateral ligament was in 1914

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Medial collateral ligament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medial%20collateral%20ligament. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Medical Definition

medial collateral ligament

noun
1
: a ligament that connects the medial epicondyle of the femur with the medial condyle and medial surface of the tibia and that helps to stabilize the knee by preventing lateral dislocation

called also MCL, tibial collateral ligament

compare lateral collateral ligament sense 1
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster