- the cartilaginous process forming the lowermost part of the breastbone (sternum)Also called: xiphoid, xiphoid process
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
xiph•i•ster•num
(zif′ə stûr′nəm),USA pronunciation n., pl. -na (-nə).USA pronunciation [Anat.]
xiph′i•ster′nal, adj.
- Anatomythe lowermost of the three segments of the sternum. Cf. gladiolus (def. 2), manubrium (def. 2a).
- Neo-Latin xiphi- (combining form of Greek xíphos sword) + sternum sternum
- 1855–60
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
xiphisternum /ˌzɪfɪˈstɜːnəm/ n ( pl -na /-nə/)
glad•i•o•lus /ˌglædiˈoʊləs/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. -lus, -li /-laɪ/USA pronunciation -lus•es.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Plant Biologya plant of the iris family, native esp. to Africa, having erect, sword-shaped leaves and spikes of flowers in a variety of colors.
glad•i•o•lus
(glad′ē ō′ləs),USA pronunciation n., pl. -lus, -li (-lī),USA pronunciation -lus•es for 1;
-li for 2.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026-li for 2.
- Plant Biologyany plant of the genus Gladiolus, of the iris family, native esp. to Africa, having erect, sword-shaped leaves and spikes of flowers in a variety of colors.
- Anatomythe middle and largest segment of the sternum. Cf. manubrium (def. 2a), xiphisternum.
- Latin: small sword, sword lily, equivalent. to gladi(us) sword + -olus -ole1
- 1560–70
ma•nu•bri•um
(mə no̅o̅′brē əm, -nyo̅o̅′-),USA pronunciation n., pl. -bri•a (-brē ə),USA pronunciation -bri•ums.
ma•nu′bri•al, adj.
- Anatomya segment, bone, cell, etc., resembling a handle.
- AnatomyAlso called presternum.
- the uppermost of the three portions of the sternum. Cf. gladiolus (def. 2), xiphisternum.
- the long process of the malleus.
- Neo-Latin, Latin: a handle, akin to manus hand
- 1650–60
'xiphisternum' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):