intercostal
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to muscles, parts, or intervals between the ribs.
-
situated between the ribs.
-
Shipbuilding. noting a structural member situated between or divided by continuous members, as frames or keelsons.
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
- intercostally adverb
Etymology
Origin of intercostal
From the New Latin word intercostālis, dating back to 1590–1600. See inter-, costal
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He won Thursday's match at Flushing Meadows, New York against Russian player Karen Khachanov, ranked ninth in the world, but retired from a later match - saying he had torn an intercostal muscle.
From BBC • Aug. 31, 2025
After feeling his side cramp up in the Dodgers’ decisive Game 5 win over the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series, doctors determined he had injured his intercostal muscle.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2025
Garver, meanwhile, has suffered a forearm strain, a left-knee sprain and an intercostal strain among other setbacks.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024
In a field hospital in Al Mamoura, Dr. Mohamed Karrar improvised an intercostal drain system using a sterilized soda bottle to pump the blood from a gunshot victim’s punctured lung.
From New York Times • Apr. 30, 2023
A juvenile having a snout-vent length of 39 mm. and a tail length of 33 mm. has 12 costal grooves, three intercostal spaces between adpressed toes, and 8-8 vomerine teeth.
From Amphibians and Reptiles of the Rainforests of Southern El Peten, Guatemala by Duellman, William E.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
