lig

Lig is not a single concept; it appears as an abbreviation rather than a full word, and its meaning depends on the context. In many technical fields, lig is used as a shorthand for longer terms.

In anatomy and medicine, lig. is the standard abbreviation for ligament, the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones and supports joints and organs. This usage is common in clinical notes, textbooks, and anatomical illustrations.

In typography and digital font design, lig. or the term ligature denotes a character formed by joining two or more letters. Ligatures are used to improve readability and aesthetics, and they are identified or substituted in font metadata, typesetting workflows, and text rendering systems.

In chemistry and biochemistry, lig. is used by some authors as an abbreviation for ligand, the species that binds to a central metal in a coordination complex. More commonly, professionals write out ligand or use the symbol L, and usage varies by publication or discipline.

In genetics, LIG is the prefix of several gene symbols (for example LIG1, LIG3, LIG4) encoding DNA ligases involved in DNA replication and repair. These enzymes catalyze the formation of phosphodiester bonds during DNA processing.

Other uses include appearances as transliterations or shorthand in non-English texts, and as part of brand, product, or place names. There is no universal definition for lig, and its meaning is best inferred from its field and context.