Plural of cartilage; tough, flexible connective tissue found in joints, the nose, ears, and other parts of the body, that is softer than bone.
From Latin 'cartilago,' related to 'charta' (paper/wax tablet), referring to its smooth, pale texture; the '-s' makes it plural.
Cartilage is alive and constantly breaking down and reforming, which is why athletes with damaged cartilage face lifetime challenges—once worn away in major joints, the body struggles to rebuild it, unlike bone which can fully heal.
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