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

Criss-crossing bands draw your shoulder blades inward, just as the vest’s seamless, second-skin fabric smooths out the arms and back. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 25 June 2026

Lean back slightly, point your collarbone up toward the ceiling, engage your core, and pull the bar down toward your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the bottom. — Jakob Roze, Health, 17 June 2026

As days pass, the pain expands, wrapping around your shoulder, chest, and back, pulling on your ribs, your shoulder blades. — Lydia Cruz, Denver Post, 22 May 2026

These liquid formulas are designed to be applied topically—typically between the shoulder blades—and can kill or repel fleas and ticks. — Jessie Quinn, USA Today, 10 May 2026

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