# sternum

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈstɜː.nəm/ · frequency rank #39,108

## Definitions
1. The breastbone, consisting of the manubrium, gladiolus, and xiphoid process.
2. The sclerotized ventral plate of spiders, between the coxae, marking the floor of the cephalothorax.

## Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin sternum, related to Old English steorn (“forehead”), German Stirn (“forehead”).

## Easily confused with
- **stern** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stern-vs-sternum)
- **serum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/serum-vs-sternum)
- **sternly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sternly-vs-sternum)

## Common misspellings (11)
`setrnum`, `ssternum`, `stenrum`, `sternmu`, `sternnum`, `sternumm`, `sterrnum`, `sterunm`, `strenum`, `stternum`, `tsernum`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sternum