1. plural of breastbone; the flat bones at the front of the chest that connect the ribs

Examples

• The doctor examined the patient’s breastbones for any signs of injury.
• Birds have prominent breastbones that anchor their flight muscles.
• The anatomy textbook showed diagrams of human breastbones.
• After the accident, X-rays revealed fractures in both breastbones.
• The veterinarian felt along the dog’s breastbones during the examination.
• Comparative anatomy studies focus on the differences between mammalian breastbones.