Achilles tendon
/əˈkɪliːz tɛndən/ noun
Forms Achilles tendons Achilles' tendon tendon of Achilles
- noun (anatomy) The strong tendon formed of the united tendons of the large muscles in the calf of the leg, and inserted into the bone of the heel.
Synonyms
calcaneal tendon tendo Achillis tendo calcaneus tendon of Achilles
Etymology
Calque of New Latin tendo Achillis, in reference to the mythological account of Achilles being held by the heel when dipped in the River Styx. Its coinage has been attributed to Dutch anatomist Philip Verheyden in 1693, but the term is first attested in 1684.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “Achilles tendon”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details