Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A sheetlike fibrous membrane, resembling a flattened tendon, that serves as a fascia to bind muscles together or as a means of connecting muscle to bone.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In anatomy, any fascia or fascial structure; especially, the tendon of a muscle when broad, thin, flat, and of a glistening whitish color, or the expansion of a tendon covering more or less of the muscle, or a broad, thin, whitish ligament.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Anat.) Any one of the thicker and denser of the deep fasciæ which cover, invest, and the terminations and attachments of, many muscles. They often differ from tendons only in being flat and thin. See fascia.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun anatomy A flattened fibrous membrane, similar to a tendon, that binds muscles together or connects them other body parts like skin or bone.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any of the deeper and thicker fascia that attach muscles to bones; resemble flattened tendons

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Greek aponeurōsis, from aponeurousthai, to become tendinous : apo-, apo- + neuron, sinew; see (s)neəu- in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • From these points fleshy fibers succeed, and end in an aponeurosis, which is inserted into the sides and under surface of the crus clitoridis.

    IV. Myology. 1F. The Muscles and Fasciæ of the Perineum 1918

  • It arises by a broad aponeurosis, which is attached to the upper part of the intertrochanteric line, to the anterior and inferior borders of the greater trochanter, to the lateral lip of the gluteal tuberosity, and to the upper half of the lateral lip of the linea aspera; this aponeurosis covers the upper three-fourths of the muscle, and from its deep surface many fibers take origin.

    IV. Myology. 8b. The Muscles and Fasciæ of the Thigh 1918

  • This curves obliquely forward and expands into a broad aponeurosis, which is inserted, in front of the Gracilis and Semitendinous, into the upper part of the medial surface of the body of the tibia, nearly as far forward as the anterior crest.

    IV. Myology. 8b. The Muscles and Fasciæ of the Thigh 1918

  • It is bounded, in front and laterally, by the Vastus medialis; behind by the Adductores longus and magnus; and is covered in by a strong aponeurosis which extends from the Vastus medialis, across the femoral vessels to the Adductores longus and magnus; lying on the aponeurosis is the Sartorius muscle.

    VI. The Arteries. 6. The Arteries of the Lower Extremity 1918

  • The two unite at an acute angle, and spread into an aponeurosis which is prolonged downward on the anterior surface of the muscle, and from this the muscular fibers arise.

    IV. Myology. 8b. The Muscles and Fasciæ of the Thigh 1918

  • The transverse part arises from the maxilla, above and lateral to the incisive fossa; its fibers proceed upward and medialward, expanding into a thin aponeurosis which is continuous on the bridge of the nose with that of the muscle of the opposite side, and with the aponeurosis of the Procerus.

    IV. Myology. 4c. The Muscles of the Nose 1918

  • From these points fleshy fibers succeed, and end in an aponeurosis which is inserted into the sides and under surface of the crus penis.

    IV. Myology. 1F. The Muscles and Fasciæ of the Perineum 1918

  • Short head: coracoid process of scapula with coracobrachialis INSERTION posterior border of bicipital tuberosity of radius over bursa and bicipital aponeurosis to deep fascia and subcutaneous ulna

    Archive 2009-01-01 Steve Perry 2009

  • For those of you who slept through the Podiatry 101 lecture in medical school, this condition is an irritation of the -- ahem -- plantar fascia, aka the plantar aponeurosis -- which is the ligamental structure under the foot that supports the arch.

    Archive 2009-06-01 Steve Perry 2009

  • With the tendons gleaming softly in their beds, I removed the last bits of the aponeurosis, sprayed the wound with a mixture of alcohol and distilled water for disinfection, and set about closing the incisions.

    A Breath of Snow and Ashes Gabaldon, Diana 2005

Comments

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  • "'I brought you an example of the palmar aponeurosis and the contractions which so interested you and Dupuytren.'"

    --Patrick O'Brian, The Hundred Days, 32

    March 20, 2008