sternal
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sternal
From the New Latin word sternālis, dating back to 1750–60. See sternum, -al 1
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.
One fossil revealed a segmented cartilaginous sternum, along with sternal ribs, intermediate ribs, and connections linking the ribcage to the shoulder girdle.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 23, 2026
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.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 20, 2024
Why would the guy recoil from an electrode sticker but not a sternal rub?
From New York Times ● Jul. 8, 2015
And with all patients on "sternal precautions" after the surgery, they need someone to drive them to appointments, including weekly heart biopsies for a month post-transplant.
From US News ● Apr. 1, 2015
The large and heavy crop has caused a unique modification of the sternal apparatus.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Slice 7 "Bible" to "Bisectrix" 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.