shoulder blade

noun

plural shoulder blades

: either of a pair of large, flat, triangular-shaped bones that lie above the rib cage on either side of the upper back : scapula

a fractured shoulder blade

He has a wing-shaped tribal tattoo between his shoulder blades.

—Cliff Mehrtens

… types who didn't wash and grew hair to their shoulder blades.

—Curtis W. Casewit

Examples of shoulder blade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Keeping your spine straight and core engaged, pull the band toward your face and squeeze your shoulder blades together. —Jenessa Connor, Health, 24 Nov. 2025

Practice planks to train a strong neutral spine position and wall angels to work on shoulder blade movement. —Dana Santas, CNN Money, 17 Nov. 2025

Complete three sets total, keeping your shoulder blades back and down throughout. —Rachel MacPherson, Outside, 16 Nov. 2025

The 150-gr. bullet hit him high through the back ribs on the right side, went through to smash up both lungs and break his left shoulder blade. —Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shoulder blade

• accolade
• ambuscade
• antegrade
• balustrade
• barricade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed

Kids Definition

shoulder blade

noun

: the flat triangular bone of the back of the shoulder that forms a joint with the humerus of the upper arm

called also scapula

Medical Definition

shoulder blade

noun

: scapula