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
Examples of sternum in a Sentence
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There’s also a sternum strap for even more support.
—
Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled her death an accident, with the official cause listed as smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, and a sternum fracture as a contributing factor.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Fitzpatrick said in 2019 Wilson was admitted for laparoscopic surgery but, as sometimes happens, it was converted to open surgery where he was cut from the sternum to the belly.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2025
Place your hands on your lower ribs on either side of the area where your rib cage splits below your sternum.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
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Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled her death an accident, with the official cause listed as smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, and a sternum fracture as a contributing factor.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Fitzpatrick said in 2019 Wilson was admitted for laparoscopic surgery but, as sometimes happens, it was converted to open surgery where he was cut from the sternum to the belly.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2025
Place your hands on your lower ribs on either side of the area where your rib cage splits below your sternum.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sternum
Cite this Entry
“Sternum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sternum. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
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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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