Clavicle
/ˈklæv.ɪ.kəl/noun
The collarbone, a slender bone connecting the sternum to the shoulder.
Did you know?Clavicle comes from Latin clavicula, a diminutive of clavis (“key”), and the same root also gave English words tied to keys, locks, and control in Roman life.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱlew-
“to shut, fasten, or make a key/lock-related action”
Latin
Latin
clavis
“key; bolt; anything used for fastening”
Latin
Latin
clavicula
“little key; later, the collarbone”
Old French
Old French
clavicule
“collarbone”
Middle English
English
clavicle
“the collarbone”
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