How to Pronounce Meniscus

Say it like this: meh-NIS-kus. The stress falls on the middle syllable (NIS), so you say it a bit louder and longer than the other parts. The first part rhymes with 'bet,' and the last part sounds like 'cuss.'

Many people stress the first syllable and say MEN-is-kus, but that's incorrect. Remember: the stress belongs in the middle on the NIS part. Think of it as meh-NIS-kus, not MEN-is-kus.

The word has three syllables: me-nis-cus. When you say it out loud slowly, you pause slightly between each part. The middle syllable (NIS) is where you put the emphasis.

It comes from Greek and means 'crescent.' The word was used to describe the crescent moon shape, which is why doctors named this knee structure meniscus—it has a C-shaped or crescent appearance.

In everyday terms, it's a C-shaped cushion or pad inside your knee. It's a piece of tough, rubbery tissue that sits between your leg bones and helps your knee move smoothly.

Doctors sometimes use the plural form 'menisci' (meh-NIS-kee) when talking about both the left and right cushions in a knee, since there are two of them. When you see 'menisci,' just know it means more than one meniscus.

The word 'meniscal' (meh-NIS-kul) is the adjective form—doctors use it to describe something related to the meniscus, like 'a meniscal tear.' Both words come from the same Greek root meaning crescent shape.

Here's an example: 'The doctor explained that the meniscus is the rubbery disc that helps protect the knee joint.' This sentence shows you're using the word to describe the actual structure itself.