rib cage

American  

noun

Anatomy.

1. the enclosure formed by the ribs and their connecting bones.

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rib cage Scientific  

1. The bony structure in the chest formed by the ribs and sternum (breastbone) that encloses and protects the heart and lungs.

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Etymology

Origin of rib cage

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rib cage

For a typical flaw like a ball flight that is repeatedly low and left, PG1 might advise players to extend their elbow farther from their rib cage as part of their downswing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026

I have pain in my back, my right foot, and my rib cage.

From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2025

Then a Cactus League comebacker drilled Treinen in the right rib cage March 9.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2024

He was home in Florida on Tuesday when he felt tightness from his right rib cage all the way down to the hip, a product of playing a lot of golf this time of year.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 24, 2023

I spin around to see Will has followed me, and I take a step closer as sobs rack my body, making my rib cage ache as it becomes impossible to breathe.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

Related Words

• breast
• heart