shoulder blade

noun

plural shoulder blades

: either of a pair of large, flat, triangular-shaped bones that lie above the rib cage on either side of the upper back : scapula

a fractured shoulder blade

He has a wing-shaped tribal tattoo between his shoulder blades.

—Cliff Mehrtens

… types who didn't wash and grew hair to their shoulder blades.

—Curtis W. Casewit

Examples of shoulder blade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If none of these signs are present, or if the person is exhibiting the universal choking sign, start by administering up to five sharp blows to the person’s back with the heel of your hand between their shoulder blades. —Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 30 Dec. 2024

The worker landed on a metal water bottle and hurt their tailbone and shoulder blade. —Kunle Falayi, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024

In a new study published in Science this month, a team of biologists used tiny tags attached between bats’ shoulder blades to track their movements. —Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Jan. 2025

Focus on using your back and shoulder muscles — squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top — and avoid rotating your chest and shoulders. —Hilary Achauer, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

shoulder blade

noun

: the flat triangular bone of the back of the shoulder that forms a joint with the humerus of the upper arm

called also scapula

Medical Definition

shoulder blade

noun

: scapula