sternum
noun
ster·num ˈstər-nəm 
plural sternums or sterna ˈstər-nə
: a compound ventral bone or cartilage of most vertebrates other than fishes that connects the ribs or the shoulder girdle or both and in humans consists of the manubrium, gladiolus, and xiphoid process
called also breastbone
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Later that month, Baribeau sawed through a man’s sternum near the edge instead of the midline. 
BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 Easily release the single oversize sternum buckle with one hand when arriving at an aid station, and then click it back into place afterward. Anna Callaghan, Outside Online, 27 May 2022 The surgeon had to cut her chest wide open from neck to the bottom of her sternum. New York Times, 13 July 2022 Not dissimilar to the flair of Puerto Rico’s Ricky Martin, Iglesias, who turns 47 today, cultivated a look during the decade that was all about leather pants, silky button-up shirts, and tight tees with sternum-baring deep Vs. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 8 May 2022 Press your forearms and palms down flat and relax your shoulders; pull your shoulders back and press your sternum forward. Nick Owchar, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2022 Then use that momentum to fully extend your legs and bring the handle all the way into your sternum. Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Cdn, Nasm-cpt, Good Housekeeping, 13 May 2022 Perovskyi would carefully examine every injury on the body, make a Y-incision through the bellybutton, up the sternum and across the collarbones, and saw open the skull. Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022 Push your heels into the floor and unrack it, holding the bar above your sternum with straight arms. Greg Presto, Men's Health, 24 Apr. 2022 See More
BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 Easily release the single oversize sternum buckle with one hand when arriving at an aid station, and then click it back into place afterward. Anna Callaghan, Outside Online, 27 May 2022 The surgeon had to cut her chest wide open from neck to the bottom of her sternum. New York Times, 13 July 2022 Not dissimilar to the flair of Puerto Rico’s Ricky Martin, Iglesias, who turns 47 today, cultivated a look during the decade that was all about leather pants, silky button-up shirts, and tight tees with sternum-baring deep Vs. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 8 May 2022 Press your forearms and palms down flat and relax your shoulders; pull your shoulders back and press your sternum forward. Nick Owchar, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2022 Then use that momentum to fully extend your legs and bring the handle all the way into your sternum. Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Cdn, Nasm-cpt, Good Housekeeping, 13 May 2022 Perovskyi would carefully examine every injury on the body, make a Y-incision through the bellybutton, up the sternum and across the collarbones, and saw open the skull. Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022 Push your heels into the floor and unrack it, holding the bar above your sternum with straight arms. Greg Presto, Men's Health, 24 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Greek sternon chest, breastbone; akin to Old High German stirna forehead, Latin sternere to spread out — more at strew
First Known Use
1667, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
sternum
noun
ster·num ˈstər-nəm
plural sternums or sterna
-nə
: breastbone
Medical Definition
sternum
noun
ster·num ˈstər-nəm
plural sternums or sterna -nə
: a compound ventral bone or cartilage that lies in the median central part of the body of most vertebrates above fishes and that in humans is about seven inches (18 centimeters) long, consists in the adult of three parts, and connects with the clavicles and the cartilages of the upper seven pairs of ribs
called also breastbone
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