clavicle

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈklævɪkəl/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(klav′i kəl)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
clav•i•cle  (klav′i kəl),USA pronunciation n. [Anat., Zool.]
  1. Anatomy, Zoologya bone of the pectoral arch.
  2. Anatomy, Zoology(in humans) either of two slender bones, each articulating with the sternum and a scapula and forming the anterior part of a shoulder; collarbone. See diag. under shoulder. 
  • Medieval Latin clāvicula collarbone, Latin: tendril, door-bolt, little key, equivalent. to clāvi(s) key + -cula -cule1
  • 1605–15
cla•vic•u•lar  (klə vik′yə lər),USA pronunciation adj.  cla•vic•u•late  (klə vik′yə lāt′),USA pronunciation adj. 
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
clavicle / ˈklævɪkəl/
  1. either of the two bones connecting the shoulder blades with the upper part of the breastbone
    Nontechnical name: collarbone
  2. the corresponding structure in other vertebrates
Etymology: 17th Century: from Medieval Latin clāvicula, from Latin clāvis keyclavicular / kləˈvɪkjʊlə/
'clavicle' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
cheville - collarbone - interclavicle - kevel - ophicleide - sternocleidomastoid - subclavian - subclavius

Forum discussions with the word(s) "clavicle" in the title:


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