rib

One of the long, flat curved bones with the concavity inward which extend ventrally from the vertebral column. In man the ribs are normally twelve in number on each side, abdominal r's. See bicipitalr's. floating r. asternal r's. See An anomalous r., false r's. probably due to the more or le incomplete coalescence of two r's, common in certain whales, cervical r's. Riblike bones or proce es extending ventrally from the cervical vertebrae, false r's. The r's which do not join the sternum directly, each by its own cartilage. They include the vertebrochondral r's and the floating r's. floating r's. R's that have no anterior attachment, sternal r's. See true r's. true r's. The ribs that articulate, through the costal cartilages, directly with the sternum, vertebral r's. See floating r's. vertebrochondral r's. Those of the false r's that have an indirect cartilaginous connection with the sternum. vertebrosternal r's. See true r's. [Ang.-Sax., ribb.']