meniscus

Meanings

1. A crescent moon, or an object shaped like it.
2. A lens which is convex on one side and concave on the other, being crescent-shaped in cross-section.
3. The curved surface of liquids in tubes, whether concave or convex, caused by the surface tension of the liquid.
4. Either of two parts of the human knee that provide structural integrity to the knee when it undergoes tension and torsion.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *meh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s Proto-Hellenic *méns Ancient Greek μείς (meís) Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Ancient Greek -ῐ́σκος (-ĭ́skos) Ancient Greek μηνῐ́σκος (mēnĭ́skos) English meniscus From Ancient Greek μηνίσκος (mēnískos, “crescent”), from μήνη (mḗnē, “moon”). Piecewise doublet of moonish.