| Cartilaginous 1. (a.) Of or pertaining to cartilage; gristly; firm and tough like cartilage. 2. (a.) Having the skeleton in the state of cartilage, the bones containing little or no calcareous matter; said of certain fishes, as the sturgeon and the sharks. Thesaurus Entries cartilaginous, cohesive, coriaceous, durable, fibrous, gristly, hard, hardy, lasting, leatherlike, leathery, resistant, ropy, sinewy, stiff, stringy, strong, stubborn, tenacious, tough, tough as leather, untiring, vigorous, viscid, wiry |