Rib
/rɪb/noun
One of the curved bones that form the sides of the chest.
Did you know?Unlike many body-part words, English rib has no securely established Indo-European origin, which makes it one of those stubborn little words that survived history without giving up its secret.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
ribb
“A rib, the side bone of the chest”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*ribją
“Rib, side bone”
Old High German
OHG
rippa
“Rib”
Old Norse
ON
rif
“Rib”
Modern English
English
rib
“One of the curved bones of the chest”