ribcage

British

/ ˈrɪbˌkeɪdʒ /

noun

the bony structure consisting of the ribs and their connective tissue that encloses and protects the lungs, heart, etc

"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

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.

As it hit the pitch, Catan leapt into action and started performing rudimentary CPR, pumping the bird's ribcage.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Among the items now costing more: ribcage straight ankle women’s jeans, priced $10 more at $108, and original fit men’s jeans that are $5 more at $84.50.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

Fine wrinkles preserved over the ribcage indicate that the skin of this duckbill was relatively thin.

From Science Daily • Nov. 30, 2025

Last week he gets dismissed for slipping, overturned and then scores by his elbow or ribcage - you decide.

From BBC • May 5, 2025

My breathing is shallow and my heart pounds against my too-small ribcage.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023