intercostal

I1N1T1E1R1C3O1S1T1A1L1
UK/ˌɪn.təˈkɒs.təl/US/ˌɪn.tɚˈkɔ.stəl/

adjective

Between the ribs of an animal or person.

Similar
intercostalisintercostal musclemusculus intercostalis
OriginEnglish costal ← Latin inter- ← Proto-Italic *n̥ter →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

adjectiveintercostal (not comparable)
  1. not comparableanatomyBetween the ribs of an animal or person.
  2. not comparablenauticalBetween the ribs of a boat.
nounintercostal (plural intercostals)

plural intercostals

  1. anatomyAny of the intercostal muscles.

    Synonyms: intercostalis

  2. anatomySomething that is between the ribs of an animal.
  3. nauticalHull reinforcing inserted between frames or bulkheads of a boat.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of the intercostal muscles.

Similar
intercostalis

More synonyms by meaning

nounmuscles between the ribs; they contract during inspiration

Similar
intercostal musclemusculus intercostalis
Broader
skeletal musclestriated muscle
Also see
intercostalis

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁n̥tér
  3. Proto-Italic*n̥ter
  4. Latininter
  5. Latininter-
  6. Englishinter-
  7. Englishcostal
  8. Englishintercostal

From inter- + costal.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic وَرْبِيَّة, وَرْبِيّ
  • وَرْبِيَّة (warbiyya)anatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
  • وَرْبِيّ (warbiyy)anatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
Bulgarian междуребрен
  • междуребрен (meždurebren)anatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
Catalan intercostal
  • intercostalanatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
Dutch tussenribs, intercostaal
  • tussenribsanatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
  • intercostaalanatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
  • tussenribspierintercostal muscle
German interkostal
  • interkostalanatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
Polish międzyżebrowy
  • międzyżebrowyanatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
Russian межрёберный, междурёберный
  • межрёберный (mežrjóbernyj)anatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
  • междурёберный (meždurjóbernyj)anatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person
Slovak medzirebrový
  • medzirebrovýanatomy: between the ribs of an animal or person

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with intercostal

hostelhostilePentecostalcostalpostil
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

intercostal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intercostal

MLA

“intercostal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intercostal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “intercostal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intercostal.

Source: intercostal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.