noun
sternum
STUR-nuhm
noun
1
The flat bone in the center of the chest that the ribs connect to; the breastbone.
"He bruised his sternum in the car accident."
"The sternum protects the heart and lungs."
How to Use Sternum
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe breastbone, the flat bone running down the middle of your chest.
Common pairings
fractured sternum
sternum bone
Word Forms
sterna plural, sternums plural
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Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin sternum, related to an Old English word for "forehead."