rib

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
a
: any of the paired curved bony or partly cartilaginous rods that stiffen the walls of the body of most vertebrates and protect the viscera
b(1)
: a cut of meat including a rib see beef illustration
(2)
: a boneless cut of meat (such as beef or pork) from a rib section
c
[from the account of Eve's creation from Adam's rib in Genesis 2:21–22] : wife
2
: something resembling a rib in shape or function: such as
a(1)
: a traverse member of the frame of a ship that runs from keel to deck
(2)
: a light fore-and-aft member in an airplane's wing
b
: one of the stiff strips supporting an umbrella's fabric
c
: one of the arches in Romanesque and Gothic vaulting meeting and crossing one another and dividing the whole vaulted space into triangles
3
: an elongated ridge: such as
a(1)
: a vein of an insect's wing
(2)
: one of the primary veins of a leaf
b
: one of the ridges in a knitted or woven fabric

Illustration of rib

Illustration of rib
  • ribs 1a

rib

2 of 4

verb (1)

ribbed; ribbing

transitive verb

1
: to furnish or enclose with ribs
2
: to knit so as to form vertical ridges in

rib

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
: joke
2
: parody

rib

4 of 4

verb (2)

ribbed; ribbing

transitive verb

: to poke fun at : kid

Examples of rib in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In the clip, the orca surges directly into the shark's side with enough power to break the great white's ribs. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 The infant’s ribs grew more pronounced and her eyes began to bulge, Abu Sultan said, both signs of acute malnutrition. Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 As the restaurant expanded with multiple locations over the next 35 years, the menu stayed the same: ribs, barbecue sauce, Sunbeam white bread, chips, and soda. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 The rib bone that makes the noise is larger and more rigid in males than in females. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024 Barbecue plates include a choice of one, two or three meats (priced based on the amount) or ribs (half or full rack) with sauce and side. The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 The restaurant chain has prime rib on the menu starting Valentine's Day through Feb. 18. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Tsui suffered brain bleeds, a half-dozen broken ribs, and extensive injuries to several organs, police said. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 The bullet hit a rib, landing millimeters from his lung. The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2024
Verb
Brown then puts Bongiovi on room service duty, but not without ribbing him. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2024 This ribbed long sleeve is sleek, smooths your stomach, and stays in place with its snap closure. Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2024 Here are some of the standout performances of the two-hour-plus event, hosted by an appropriately ribbing Jim Gaffigan. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2024 The crewneck sweater is super soft, complete with ribbed details and a stretchy waistband. Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 14 Jan. 2024 Play on the biker theme with a white ribbed top and black leather skinny jeans, with red lips serving as your sole accessory. Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2024 But knowing exactly what style and brand of tank top to choose can be a bit more complicated — with options like high-neck, ribbed, and cropped tanks, the world of tops really is your oyster. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024 Ziggy, doing a bit, barely said anything, while Ben-Adir and Noah ribbed on his Jamaican accent. Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 5 Feb. 2024 Gaffigan lovingly ribbed Bon Jovi for his over-the-top Eighties outfits, repeatedly showing a picture of the singer in a Jack Daniels tank top and short jean shorts. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rib.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English ribb; akin to Old High German rippi rib, Old Church Slavonic rebro, and probably to Greek erephein to roof over

Verb (2) and Noun (2)

probably from rib entry 1; from the tickling of the ribs to cause laughter

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rib was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near rib

Cite this Entry

“Rib.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rib. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rib

1 of 3 noun
1
a
: one of the series of curved bones of the chest of most vertebrates that are joined to the spinal column in pairs and help to support the body wall and protect the organs inside
b
: a cut of meat including a rib
2
: something (as a piece of wire supporting the fabric of an umbrella) resembling a rib
3
a
: a major vein of an insect's wing or of a leaf
b
: one of the parallel ridges in a knitted or woven fabric

rib

2 of 3 verb
ribbed; ribbing
1
: to furnish or enclose with ribs
2
: to form ribs in a fabric in knitting or weaving
ribber noun

rib

3 of 3 verb
ribbed; ribbing
: to make jokes about : kid
ribber noun

Medical Definition

rib

noun
: any of the paired curved bony or partly cartilaginous rods that stiffen the lateral walls of the body of most vertebrates and protect the viscera, that occur in mammals exclusively or almost exclusively in the thoracic region, and that in humans normally include 12 pairs of which all are articulated with the spinal column at the dorsal end and the first 10 are connected also at the ventral end with the sternum by costal cartilages see false rib, floating rib, true rib

More from Merriam-Webster on rib

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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