intercostal
Americanadjective
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pertaining to muscles, parts, or intervals between the ribs.
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situated between the ribs.
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Shipbuilding. noting a structural member situated between or divided by continuous members, as frames or keelsons.
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
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 later confirmed he had torn an intercostal muscle.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2025
Reliever Michael Grove was put on the 15-day IL because of a right intercostal muscle strain, an injury that is not expected to sideline the right-hander for more than a few weeks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2024
Third baseman Austin Riley is day to day with a left intercostal strain, and catcher Sean Murphy remains on the 10-day injured list with an oblique injury after he got hurt on opening day.
From Seattle Times ● May 26, 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
Patients who suffered thus were also liable, after exposure or in consequence of severe atmospheric changes, to sharp attacks of similar pains elsewhere, and especially in the course of the intercostal nerves.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
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.
