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

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-sŏkĭt ]

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.