Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

labrum

1 American  
[ley-bruhm, lab-ruhm] / ˈleɪ brəm, ˈlæb rəm /

noun

labra plural
  1. a lip or liplike part.

  2. Zoology.

    1. the anterior, unpaired member of the mouthparts of an arthropod, projecting in front of the mouth.

    2. the outer margin of the aperture of a shell of a gastropod.

  3. Anatomy. a ring of cartilage about the edge of a joint surface of a bone.


labrum 2 American  
[ley-bruhm] / ˈleɪ brəm /

noun

Archaeology.
labra plural
  1. an ornamented bathtub of ancient Rome.


labrum British  
/ ˈlæb-, ˈleɪbrəm /

noun

  1. a lip or liplike part, such as the cuticular plate forming the upper lip of insects

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of labrum1

1810–20; < Latin: lip; akin to labium

Origin of labrum2

< Latin lābrum basin, contraction of lavābrum bathtub, equivalent to lavā ( re ) to wash + -brum instrumental suffix

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.

With just one competition under her belt this season, she dislocated her shoulder and sustained a torn labrum in what she described as the "silliest fall" in training in Switzerland last month.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

When the halfpipe superstar tore her labrum in her left shoulder in training a month ago, her hopes of becoming the first person to win three consecutive Olympic snowboarding gold medals were in jeopardy.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

She said her labrum injury is less serious than feared, though it will prevent her from training before the Games.

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026

Graterol, 27, missed the 2025 season after undergoing surgery on the labrum in his right shoulder in November 2024.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 7, 2026

The labrum is highly bullate, with a row of minute teeth on the crest, placed very close together in the middle.

From A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia With Figures of all the Species. by Darwin, Charles

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "labrum" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com