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clavicle

clavicle

16 6.6
A long bone near the top of the chest that connects the shoulder to the breastbone, called the collarbone
  • noun
  • /ˈklævɪkəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : clavícula
  • The doctor explained how the clavicle connects the shoulder blade to the sternum.
  • clavicle fracture
  • clavicle fractures will heal
  • end of the clavicle

Erase the red and Violet lines on your arms and the sword scar on your clavicle.

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Examples

  • I think I have a bruise, Dr. Heimlich. Would you mind taking a look at my clavicle?

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Maybe her clavicle is broken, too.

  • I broke my clavicle once.

  • Your left clavicle and three ribs are shattered.

  • Left clavicle is fractured.

  • Traditionally, clavicle fractures were treated with figure-of-eight braces in children.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Due to abundant callus formation, clavicle fractures usually heal with a palpable and visible bump.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The X-ray showed that my clavicle was broken in four places and that I needed surgery.

  • He is recovering from surgery on his broken clavicle after a biking accident.

Synonyms

collarbone
vsclavicle
32 3.1

A bone that connects the shoulder to the chest bone

uses the technical term sternum rather than the common breastbone

Surface Forms

clavicle singular
clavicles plural

Etymology

Clavicle comes from the Latin clavicula, which means 'little key', from clavis 'key'. The bone was called a 'little key' because its shape looked like a small key and because it acts like a short bar that helps hold the shoulder in place.