Cartilages (or 'knee cartilages' or 'meniscus cartilages' or 'semi-lunar cartilages') are old-fashioned words for the menisci of the knee.

knee joint showing the meniscus
The knee meniscus or 'meniscus cartilage'. It is best to use the term 'meniscus' as the term cartilage is usually reserved hyaline cartilage.

 

Semi-lunar 'cartilages'

The reference to 'cartilages' arose from the historical name for the menisci, that is 'semi-lunar cartilages', because of their half-moon shape. The correct name of a semi-lunar cartilage is 'meniscus'.

Back to top

 

Synonyms: 
menisci
-

Dr Sheila Strover (Editor)
BSc (Hons), MB BCh, MBA

See biography...