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

Try it now: Practice savoring now with this shoulder stretch: Reach your hands behind you and clasp them, pulling your shoulder blades together while letting your head nod forward. —Katy Bowman, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025

Then pull your arms back but no further than the back pockets of your pants — without lifting your shoulders — and draw your shoulder blades together. —Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025

Mary had serious injuries to her face and two taser prongs under her right shoulder blade, according to Nathan’s arrest affidavit. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2025

As the exchange escalated into an argument, Selena attempted to leave the room and was shot in her upper right back, near her shoulder blade. —Jacqueline Weiss, People.com, 28 Mar. 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