ball-and-socket joint
[ bawl-uh n sok-it ]
/ ˈbɔl ən ˈsɒk ɪt /
noun
Also called enarthrosis. Anatomy, Zoology.
a joint in which the rounded end of one bone fits into a cuplike end of the other bone, allowing for relatively free rotary motion, as at the hip or shoulder.
Also called ball joint.
a similar joint between rods, links, pipes, etc., consisting of a ball-like termination on one part held within a concave, spherical socket on the other.
Origin of ball-and-socket joint
First recorded in 1660–70
Words nearby ball-and-socket joint
ball turning,
ball up,
ball valve,
ball's in your court, the,
ball-and-claw foot,
ball-and-socket joint,
ball-buster,
ball-carrier,
ball-peen hammer,
ball-valve thrombus,
balla
British Dictionary definitions for ball-and-socket joint
ball-and-socket joint
ball joint
noun
a coupling between two rods, tubes, etc, that consists of a spherical part fitting into a spherical socket, allowing free movement within a specific conical volume
Also called: multiaxial joint anatomy
a bony joint, such as the hip joint, in which a rounded head fits into a rounded cavity, allowing a wide range of movement
Medical definitions for ball-and-socket joint
ball-and-socket joint
n.
A multiaxial joint in which a sphere on the head of one bone fits into a rounded cavity in the other bone, as in the hip joint.
cotyloid joint enarthrosis
Scientific definitions for ball-and-socket joint
ball-and-socket joint
[ bôl′ən-sŏk′ĭt ]
A joint, such as the shoulder or hip joint, in which a spherical knob or knoblike part of one bone fits into a cavity or socket of another, so that some degree of rotary motion is possible in every direction.
A mechanical device consisting of a spherical knob at the end of a shaft that fits securely into a socket. Ball-and-socket joints are used to connect parts of a machine that require rotary movement in nearly all directions. Ball-and-socket joints allow the front wheels of a car to be turned by the steering mechanism.