Definition of rib
1a : any of the paired curved bony or partly cartilaginous rods that stiffen the walls of the body of most vertebrates and protect the viscerab (1) : a cut of meat including a rib — see beef illustration (2) : a boneless cut of meat (such as beef or pork) from a rib sectionc [from the account of Eve's creation from Adam's rib in Genesis 2:21–22] : wife
2 : something resembling a rib in shape or function: such asa (1) : a traverse member of the frame of a ship that runs from keel to deck (2) : a light fore-and-aft member in an airplane's wingb : one of the stiff strips supporting an umbrella's fabricc : one of the arches in Romanesque and Gothic vaulting meeting and crossing one another and dividing the whole vaulted space into triangles
3 : an elongated ridge: such asa (1) : a vein of an insect's wing (2) : one of the primary veins of a leafb : one of the ridges in a knitted or woven fabric
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Illustration of rib
Origin and Etymology of rib
Middle English, from Old English ribb; akin to Old High German rippi rib, Old Church Slavonic rebro, and probably to Greek erephein to roof over
First Known Use: before 12th century
Other Anatomy Terms
rib
Definition of rib
ribbed
;ribbing
transitive verb
1 : to furnish or enclose with ribs
2 : to knit so as to form vertical ridges in
ribber
nounCirca 1547
First Known Use of rib
circa 1547
Origin and Etymology of rib
4rib
First Known Use: 1929
Origin and Etymology of rib
probably from 1rib; from the tickling of the ribs to cause laughter
First Known Use: 1912
RIB Defined for Kids
rib
playDefinition of rib for Students
1 : one of the curved bones of the chest that are joined to the backbone and help to stiffen the body wall and protect the organs
2 : a piece of meat from an animal (as a cow or pig) that includes a rib and is used as food
3 : something (as a piece of wire supporting the fabric of an umbrella) that is like a rib in shape or use
4 : one of the parallel ridges in a knitted or woven fabric
ribbed
\ˈribd\ adjective a ribbed sweaterMedical Dictionary
rib
playMedical Definition of rib
: any of the paired curved bony or partly cartilaginous rods that stiffen the lateral walls of the body of most vertebrates and protect the viscera, that occur in mammals exclusively or almost exclusively in the thoracic region, and that in humans normally include 12 pairs of which all are articulated with the spinal column at the dorsal end and the first 10 are connected also at the ventral end with the sternum by costal cartilages—see false rib, floating rib, true rib
Learn More about rib
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See words that rhyme with rib Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for rib Spanish Central: Translation of rib Nglish: Translation of rib for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of rib for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rib
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