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  1. clavicle love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Either of two slender bones in humans that extend from the manubrium of the sternum to the acromion of the scapula. Also called collarbone.
  2. n. One of the bones of the pectoral girdle in many vertebrates.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. The collar-bone, forming one of the elements of the pectoral arch in vertebrate animals. In man and sundry quadrupeds there are complete clavicles or collar-bones, each joined at one end to the scapula or shoulder-bone, and at the other to the sternum or breast-bone. In many quadrupeds the clavicles are absent or rudimentary, while in birds they are united in a single forked piece, popularly called the merrythought or wishbone. In many vertebrates below birds clavicles are recognized, but their homology is not always clear. The human clavicle is by some considered to be composed of its body, or clavicle proper, with a mesoscapular segment or acromial epiphysis, a precoracoid or sternal epiphysis, and an omosternum, or interarticular fibrocartilage; but this view is not generally adopted. See also cut under skeleton.
  2. n. In botany, a tendril.
  3. n. The columella of a univalve shell.
  4. n. In ichthyology, usually the largest bone of the shoulder-girdle. The supraclavicle, when present, is attached to its upper end, and the coracoid elements are attached to its posterior surface. It borders the gill-opening behind.

Wiktionary

  1. n. The collar bone; the prominent bone at the top of the chest between the shoulder and the neck.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. (Anat.) The collar bone, which is joined at one end to the scapula, or shoulder blade, and at the other to the sternum, or breastbone. In man each clavicle is shaped like the letter �, and is situated just above the first rib on either side of the neck. In birds the two clavicles are united ventrally, forming the merrythought, or wishbone.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. bone linking the scapula and sternum

Etymologies

  1. From Latin clāvīcula, diminutive of clāvis ("key"). (Wiktionary)
  2. New Latin clāvīcula, from Latin, diminutive of clāvis, key (from its shape). (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

  • “_catena gulae_ of Roger and Gilbert is what we call the clavicle, though the more common Latin names of this bone are _claviculus_,”

    Gilbertus Anglicus Medicine of the Thirteenth Century

  • “Ro replies, "Did you know it's considered good luck to break a clavicle on a Klingon wedding night?”

    Archive 2010-05-01

  • “I remember thinking of the word clavicle at the time because I had the odd feeling that the water level had sought out the slender, horizontal bones at the top of my chest to draw attention to the fact that I was now within 6 or 8 inches of having my nose and mouth submerged, at which point it would become challenging to continue the breathing process that had become habitual with me.”

    A Sportman's Life: A Sinking Feeling

  • “#27- Yes the thumb nail indentation for a cleavage straight to a clavicle is a nice touch.”

    Regretsy – Top This

  • “The middle of the shaft of the clavicle is a much safer guide to the vessel than are the muscles which contribute to form this posterior triangle of the neck, in which the subclavian vessel is located.”

    Surgical Anatomy

  • “Passing transversely behind the clavicle are the transverse scapular vessels; and traversing its upper angle in the same direction, the transverse cervical artery and vein.”

    VI. The Arteries. 3a. 3. The Triangles of the Neck

  • “Fracture of the _lateral_ or _acromial third_ of the clavicle is a common form of accident at football matches, and usually results from direct violence, the bone being driven down against the coracoid process, and broken as one breaks a stick over the knee.”

    Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition.

  • “As I've been telling most well-wishers, if your kid has to get a break in something, a clavicle is a good choice.”

    Squidalicious

  • “Note the two little "clavicle" tabs that will fold back as you bend the arms in.”

    MAKE Magazine

  • “The Giants knocked Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo from Monday night's game with a fractured left clavicle.”

    The Washington Post: NFL's threat to crack down on illegal hits has immediate effect

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synonyms (2)

Words with the same meaning

  1. collar-bone
  1. collarbone

hypernyms (2)

Words that are more generic or abstract

  1. os
  1. bone

same context (24)

Words that are found in similar contexts

  1. tuberosity
  2. collarbone
  3. fibula
  4. maxilla
  1. humerus
  2. metacarpus
  3. sternum
  4. periosteum
  1. braincase
  2. oesophagus
  3. breastbone
  4. femur
  1. vertebra
  2. olecranon
  3. ureter
  4. mandible
  1. shoulder blade
  2. sesamoid
  3. pelvis
  4. ribcage
  1. scapulae
  2. pubis
  3. maxillary
  4. vulcanism

reverse dictionary (64)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. posterotemporal
  2. clavotrapezius
  3. ectocoracoid
  4. collarbone
  5. epicleidium
  6. infraclavicular
  7. key-bone
  8. clavicle
  9. clavicular
  10. coracoid
  11. coracoideum
  12. cubital
  1. retroclavicular
  2. tracheloclavicularis
  3. pygopodoidea
  4. rhomboideum
  5. scapuloclavicular
  6. scapuloclavicularis
  7. subclavius
  8. supraclavicular
  9. acromion
  10. claviculohumeral
  11. clavipectoral
  12. cœnosteon
  1. manubrium
  2. channel-bone
  3. clavicula
  4. clavodeltoid
  5. clavodeltoideus
  6. clido
  7. clidosternal
  8. coracoclavicular
  9. costoclavicular
  10. subclavian
  11. sternoclavicular
  12. acromioclavicular
  1. subclavian artery
  2. subclavian vein
  3. platysma
  4. sternocleido mastoideus
  5. sternocleidomastoid
  6. sternocleidomastoid muscle
  7. membrane bone
  8. musculus sternocleidomastoideus
  9. omosternum
  10. pectoral arch
  11. postclavicle
  12. precoracoid
  1. supraclavicle
  2. clavicularium
  3. clidomastoid
  4. costocoracoid
  5. deltoid
  6. epiclidium
  7. proscapula
  8. rhiptoglossa
  9. sternal
  10. sternoclidomastoid
  11. sternotrachealis
  12. subclavicular
  1. acrocoracoid
  2. clidophorus
  3. epiclavicle
  4. humeral

tags (2)

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  1. fun
  1. favorite

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Comments

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  • reesetee I don't know, u--sounds too "clattery" for a wind instrument to me. And AZ, I wouldn't say I have a clavicle fetish, but I do so like them. ;-) Mar 11, 2007

  • abraxaszugzwang with you on the wind instrument, wuss. Mar 11, 2007

  • uselessness Clavicles give me the willys. But I guess that wouldn't come as a surprise, knowing me. Consider this added to the Nightmares! list.

    An aside: Am I the only one who thinks this word sounds more like a wind instrument than a collarbone? Mar 11, 2007

  • abraxaszugzwang Anyone else have a clavicle fetish? No? Anyone? Mar 11, 2007

  • reesetee Ouch. I tend to break smaller bones myself--fingers, toes, metatarsals.... Mar 10, 2007

  • sonofgroucho This is the only bone that I have fractured (so far). Mar 9, 2007

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‘clavicle’ has been looked up 3474 times, loved by 6 people, added to 56 lists, commented on 7 times, and has a Scrabble score of 15.