labrum

noun

la·​brum ˈlā-brəm 

1

: an upper or anterior mouthpart of an arthropod consisting of a single median piece in front of or above the mandibles

2

: a ring of fibrous cartilage forming the margin of the shallow cavity of the upper part of the scapula by which the humerus articulates with the shoulder girdle

Examples of labrum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

First baseman Freddie Freeman was out of the lineup Monday managing right knee soreness, and second baseman Miguel Rojas was playing through shoulder soreness after aggravating a longstanding partial tear in a labrum. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

That was all going to set up a potential breakout 2025 season — before Worthy collided with tight end Travis Kelce and tore his labrum in the season opener. — Jesse Newell, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Last season, Volpe led American League shortstops with 19 errors while playing with a torn labrum in his shoulder for the final four months. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

The injury was worse than originally thought, with a subsequent MRI revealing a torn labrum and bone fragments from an apparent clavicle fracture. — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, lip, edge — more at lip

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for labrum

• candelabrum

Kids Definition

labrum

noun

la·​brum ˈlā-brəm 

: the upper mouthpart of an arthropod in front of or above the mandibles

Medical Definition

labrum

noun

la·​brum ˈlā-brəm 

plural labra -brə 

1

: an upper or anterior mouthpart of an arthropod consisting of a single median piece in front of or above the mandibles

2

: a fibrous ring of cartilage attached to the rim of a joint: as

a

: glenoid labrum

b

: acetabular labrum