Illustration of rib
- ribs 1a
1
a
: any of the paired curved bony or partly cartilaginous rods that stiffen the walls of the body of most vertebrates and protect the viscera
b(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 section
c
[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 as
a(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 wing
b
: one of the stiff strips supporting an umbrella's fabric
c
: 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 as
a(1)
: a vein of an insect's wing
(2)
: one of the primary veins of a leaf
b
: one of the ridges in a knitted or woven fabric
ribbed; ribbing
Examples of rib in a Sentence
Noun (2)
the movie is a rib of the "dramatic love story" that was so popular in the 1950s
began to lose his sense of humor after being the butt of his friends' ribs once too often
Verb (2)
ribbed him a bit about fumbling such an easy play
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
At trial, jurors heard that Thea suffered three skull fractures, broken ribs, brain damage and bleeding behind her eyes.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
This late-maturing Mexican heirloom tomato is as sweet and tasty as much as it is heavily ribbed.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rib
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Connecticut’s Brittney Griner (rib injury) returned from a four-game absence but left the game for good late in the first half after she was apparently poked in the eye.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
At trial, jurors heard that Thea suffered three skull fractures, broken ribs, brain damage and bleeding behind her eyes.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Verb
These slip-on sneakers get a leg up (pun intended) for their ribbed, chunky lug soles.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
This late-maturing Mexican heirloom tomato is as sweet and tasty as much as it is heavily ribbed.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rib
Cite this Entry
“Rib.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rib. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rib
1 of 3 noun1
a
: one of the series of curved bones of the chest of most vertebrates that are joined to the spinal column in pairs and help to support the body wall and protect the organs inside
b
: a cut of meat including a rib
2
: something (as a piece of wire supporting the fabric of an umbrella) resembling a rib
3
a
: a major vein of an insect's wing or of a leaf
b
: one of the parallel ridges in a knitted or woven fabric
rib
2 of 3 verb
ribbed; ribbing
1
: to furnish or enclose with ribs
2
: to form ribs in a fabric in knitting or weaving
ribber
noun
Medical Definition
rib
noun
: 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
