ligament

ligament (noun; Latin ligare, to bind): 1. A band or sheet of tough, fibrous tissue between parts or segments.

2. (Bryozoa) Muscle fibers embedded in collagen with a tubular peritoneal envelope.

3. (Mollusca: Bivalvia) A horny, elastic band located above the hinge, causing the valves to open when the adductor muscles relax.