false rib

noun Anatomy.

any of the lower five ribs on either side of the body, which are not directly attached to the sternum.

Origin of false rib

First recorded in 1490–1500

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

false rib in Medicine

false rib

n.

Any of the five pairs of lower ribs that do not articulate directly with the sternum.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.