menisc-, menisco-

Physical damages to the crescent-shaped pads; for example, between the two points of contact formed by the thigh bone and the shin bone: Damage of the surfaces of the cartilage disks can cause serious meniscus injuries.

Meniscus injuries of the knees are easily caused by the force of abnormal rotations of the two cartilage pads while carrying the weight of the body.

A meniscus injury may be caused by a partial or total tear of a tissue and it may take place when a person twists suddenly or rotates the upper leg while the foot stays in place; for example, when dribbling a basketball around an opponent or turning to hit a tennis ball.

If there is a very small tear, the tendon will stay connected to the front and back of the knee; however, if there is a big rupture, the meniscus injury may be left hanging by a thread and the seriousness of such a ripping apart depends on its location and how much has been damaged.

Elements in a single viewing aperture in which there are curvature centers on both of its surfaces: The meniscus lenses may lie on the same side of the lens so that both arched areas are concave or both are convex or the meniscus lens have a spherical concave curve on one side and a spherical convex curve on the other side.

1. A radiographic indicator that is associated with an ulcerating carcinoma, in which the outline of the stomach is crescentic with overhanging edges: A meniscus sign may be seen in lung abscesses, tumors, hematomas (swellings filled with blood as a result of a broken blood vessel), granulomatous infections (inflammatory lesion or wound), and Rasmussen's aneurysms (fatal hemorrhages in pulmonary tuberculosis).
2. A snapping or clicking associated with a torn cartilage in the knee: When there are indications of damaged menisci in the knees, then those signals are referred to as meniscus signs of damage.

Having numerous facets, lenses, or small eyes that make up the compound eyes of insects and crustaceans (lobsters, crabs, shrimps, and barnacles): Some creatures have polymeniscous oculi which include many combinations of lenses in their visual receptive organs.

A shape of the edges of liquids on the top area in a tube or other glass container: In chemistry class when Sally looked at the upper surface of any fluid from the side of a glass tube, she could see a slight curve up and down or a crescent shape around the top edge of the liquid, which she learned to be a meniscus or surface meniscus.

The surface menisci of fluids indicate curved upper surfaces around the edges of liquids that are contained in tubes and which are curved because of surface tensions.

In metal work, surface meniscus applies to a solder joint that has a minimum angle at which the solder tapers from the joint to the flat surface.

Traumas or injuries to the knee joints, and the cartilages within them, caused by forceful twisting or over-flexing of the junctions resulting in pain, swelling, and popping: Brad limped off the race track with what appeared to be a torn meniscus in his right knee.