sternal

[stur-nl]

adjective

1. of or relating to the sternum.

Other Word Forms

• poststernal adjective
• substernal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sternal¹

From the New Latin word sternālis, dating back to 1750–60. See sternum, -al ¹

Example Sentences

But recovering from sternal wound infections can take months, he noted, and “if you have a stroke, that can affect you for a long time.”

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She also suffered a “sternal fracture due to blunt trauma” — an injury that’s commonly caused when the chest strikes the steering wheel during an accident.

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She also suffered a “sternal fracture due to blunt trauma” — an injury commonly caused when the chest hits the steering wheel during a car crash.

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She also suffered a “sternal fracture due to blunt trauma” as a result of her car crash.

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The Stanford University School of Medicine’s palliative care department believes that checking for a pupillary light reflex and performing sternal rubs are completely unnecessary and can cause needless trauma to the family members bearing witness.

Read more on Scientific American