false rib

noun

, Anatomy.

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of false rib¹

First recorded in 1490–1500

Example Sentences

My ball had entered his body by the seventh rib on the right hand, and had gone out by the second false rib on the left.

From Project Gutenberg