Dictionary: rib   (rĭb)

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1. Anatomy.
   1. One of a series of long curved bones occurring in 12 pairs in humans and extending from the spine to or toward the sternum.
   2. A similar bone in most vertebrates.
2. A part or piece similar to a rib and serving to shape or support: the rib of an umbrella.
3. A cut of meat enclosing one or more rib bones.
4. Nautical. One of many curved members attached to a boat or ship's keel and extending upward and outward to form the framework of the hull.
5. One of many transverse pieces that provide an airplane wing with shape and strength.
6. Architecture. A long, narrow, usually arched member projecting from the surface of a structure, especially such a member separating the webs of a vault.
7. A raised ridge or wale in knitted material or in cloth.
8. Botany. The main vein or any of the prominent veins of a leaf or other plant organ.
9. Slang. A teasing remark or action; a joke.

1. To shape, support, or provide with a rib or ribs.
2. To make with ridges or raised markings.
3. Informal. To tease or make fun of. See synonyms at banter.

[Middle English, from Old English ribb.]

1. The meat cut (beef, lamb or veal) from between the short loin and the chuck. Chops, steaks and roasts (depending on the animal) are cut from the rib section, which is very tender. See also rib roast; rib steak. 2. A single stalk of a celery bunch, though some cooks refer to the entire bunch as a rib. In general, the words rib and stalk describe the same thing.

verb

To tease or mock good-humoredly: banter, chaff, joke, josh. Informal kid, ride. Slang jive, rag², razz. See laughter.

n. any of the curved transverse pieces of metal or timber in a ship, extending up from the keel and forming part of the framework of the hull.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

1. A curved structural member supporting any curved shape or panel.
2. In vaulted roofs, the moldings which project from the surface and separate the various roof or ceiling panels.
3. A raised ridge or fold which is formed in sheet metal (or a formed section attached thereto) to provide stiffness.

rib, 1 of an arch

ribs, 2 dividing a ceiling into squares

One of 12 pairs of long, flat, curved bones forming part of the thoracic cage, attached at one end to a thoracic vertebra. See also false ribs, floating ribs, true ribs.

Any one of the paired, curved, cylindrical bones, extending from the thoracic vertebrae to the ventral aspect of the trunk, forming the major part of the thoracic skeleton, and consisting of a dorsal bony part and a ventral cartilaginous part that may or may not articulate with the sternum. Typically 13 pairs in the dog, cat and ruminants, 18 pairs in horses and 14 or 15 pairs in the pig. Called also costa.

• abdominal r's, asternal r's — a rib whose ventral end does not meet the sternum. See also false ribs (below).
• cervical r. — a supernumerary rib arising from a cervical vertebra.
• r. contractor — a strongly built device for pulling ribs together following retraction for surgical access to the thoracic cavity.
• false r's — the caudal ribs, not attached directly to the sternum but are attached to each other's sternal cartilage to form the costal arch.
• floating r. — a rib whose distal extremity is unattached to an adjacent rib or the sternum.
• r. retractor — heavy duty surgical instrument for separating ribs to allow surgeon better access to thoracic contents. See finochietto rib spreader.
• slipping r. — one whose attaching cartilage is repeatedly dislocated.
• sternal r. — true ribs articulating with the sternum.
• true r's — the ribs attached to both vertebrae and sternum.
• vertebral r's — floating ribs.
• vertebrocostal r's — the false ribs that contribute to the costal arch.
• vertebrosternal r's — true ribs.

The main vein or any prominent ridge or vein of a leaf or other plant organ.

This article is about the bones called ribs. For other meanings, see rib (disambiguation).

The human rib cage. (Source: Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, 20th ed. 1918.)

In vertebrate anatomy, ribs (Latin costae) are the long curved bones which form the rib cage. In most animals, ribs surround the chest (Latin thorax) and protect the lungs, heart, and other internal organs of the thorax. In some animals, especially snakes, ribs may provide support and protection for the entire body.

Human anatomy

Main article: Human rib cage

Human beings, both male and female, have 24 ribs (12 sets). The first seven sets of ribs have their own individual cartilage connections with the sternum. The remaining five sets are known as "false ribs". The first three of these share a common connection to the sternum, while the last two (eleventh and twelfth ribs) are termed floating ribs (costae fluitantes) or vertebral ribs. They are attached to the vertebrae only, and not to the sternum or cartilage coming off of the sternum. Some people are missing one of the two pairs of floating ribs, while others have a third pair. Rib removal is the surgical excision of ribs for therapeutic or cosmetic reasons.

The ribcage is separated from the lower abdomen by the thoracic diaphragm which controls breathing. When the diaphragm contracts, the ribcage and thoracic cavity are expanded, reducing intra-thoracic pressure and drawing air into the lungs.

In other animals

In mammals, one generally thinks of ribs occurring only in the chest. However, during the development of mammalian embryos, fused-on remnants of ribs can be traced in neck vertebrae (cervical ribs) and sacral vertebrae.

In reptiles, ribs sometimes occur in all vertebrae from the neck to the sacrum.

The ribs of turtles are developed into a bony or cartilagenous carapace and plastron.

Fish can have up to four ribs on each vertebra and this can easily be seen in the herring, although not all fish have this many.

See also

• Bone terminology
• Terms for anatomical location

References

• Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 4th ed. Keith L. Moore and Robert F. Dalley. pp. 62-64

Human anatomical features
HEAD	Skull · Forehead · Eye · Ear · Nose · Mouth · Tongue · Teeth · Jaw · Face · Cheek · Chin
NECK	Throat · Larynx · Adam's apple
TORSO	Shoulders · Spine · Breast · Chest · Ribcage · Abdomen · Navel Sex organs (Clitoris/Vagina/Ovary/Uterus/Penis/Scrotum/Testicle) – Hip · Anus · Buttocks
LIMBS	Arm · Elbow · Forearm · Wrist · Hand · Finger (Thumb/Index/Middle/Ring/Little) · Leg · Lap · Thigh · Knee · Calf · Heel · Ankle · Foot · Toe (Hallux)
SKIN	Hair

vls:Rebbe

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - ribben, ribbenssteg, ribstrikning, højreb
v. tr. - forsyne ngt. med ribber, [sl.] lave sjov med

idioms:

• rib cage    brystkasse

n. - ribbon (bånd), routing information base (ruteinformationsbase)

Nederlands (Dutch)
rib, ribbel, nerf, balein, ribbels maken, plagen

Français (French)
n. - solive, (Anat, Culin) côte, baleine (d'un parapluie), (Bot) nervure, (Archit) nervure, (Naut) membrure, (Aviat) nervure, côte (au tricot)
v. tr. - taquiner

idioms:

• rib cage    cage thoracique, thorax

n. - bateau gonflable rigide

Deutsch (German)
n. - Rippe, Speiche, Schaft, (ugs.) Witz
v. - rippen, (ugs.) aufziehen

idioms:

• rib cage    Brustkorb

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ανατ.) πλευρά, πλευρό (κν. παϊδι), νεύρο (φύλλου), ράβδωση, ρυτίδωση (σε άμμο)
v. - εμπαίζω κοροϊδεύω, περιπαίζω, πειράζω, τσιγκλίζω

idioms:

• rib cage    (ανατ.) θωρακική κοιλότητα

Italiano (Italian)
costola, travetto, scanalatura, venatura

idioms:

• rib cage    cassa toracica

Português (Portuguese)
n. - costela (f), aresta (f)
v. - reforçar com vigas

idioms:

• rib cage    costelas (Anat.)

Русский (Russian)
ребро, фланец, рубчик, жилка (листа), дразнить, разыгрывать

idioms:

• rib cage    грудная клетка

Español (Spanish)
n. - costilla, nervio, nervadura, estría, vena
v. tr. - afianzar con pestañas o rebordes, reforzar con cuadernas o costillas, acanalar

idioms:

• rib cage    tórax, caja torácica

n. - tipo de bote inflable (Rigid Inflatable Boat)

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - revben, revbensspjäll, räffla, skämt
v. - räffla

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
肋骨, 肋状物

肋骨, 肋状物, 嘲弄, 取笑, 用肋状物支撑

idioms:

• rib cage    胸廓, 胸腔

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 肋骨, 肋狀物

n. - 肋骨, 肋狀物
v. tr. - 嘲弄, 取笑, 用肋狀物支撐

idioms:

• rib cage    胸廓, 胸腔

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 늑골, 엽맥, 갈빗대 모양의 것
v. tr. - ~에 늑골을 붙이다, 늑골로 두르다, ~에 이랑을 만들다

n. - (선체가 섬유유리로 된) 작은 보트

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 肋骨, 骨付きあばら肉, 畝, 肋材, 骨, うね, あぜ
v. - 肋材を付ける, 畝を立てる, からかう

idioms:

• rib cage    胸郭

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) ضلع, زوجه, نكته (فعل) يضلع, يسخر من‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮צלע, עורק-עלה, פס בולט (באריג), קנה-מטרייה, לוח-חיזוק (בסירה)‬
v. tr. - ‮התקין צלעות, חיזק בלוחות, סימן פסים, קנטר, לעג‬
n. - ‮סירה פתוחה קטנה עם גוף גוף פיברגלס וצלעות גומי מתנפחות‬

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