clavicle

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: clav=i=cle

CIDE DICTIONARY

clavicle, n. [F. clavicule, fr. L. clavicula a little key, tendril, dim. of clavis key, akin to claudere to shut. See Close, and cf. Clef.].

 The collar bone, which is joined at one end to the scapula, or shoulder blade, and at the other to the sternum, or breastbone. In man each clavicle is shaped like the letter 1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

clavicle, n. the collar-bone.

Derivative

clavicular adj.

Etymology

L clavicula dimin. of clavis key (from its shape)