Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A lip or liplike structure, such as the one forming the roof of the mouth in insects.
  • noun The outer margin of the opening of a gastropod shell.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In Rom. archæol., a bath-tub, especially one of those of hard, fine material more or loss richly sculptured, rather common in the museums of Italy. Also called lavabrum.
  • noun In zoöl, alip or lip-like part. Specifically

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A lip or edge, as of a basin.
  • noun An organ in insects and crustaceans covering the upper part of the mouth, and serving as an upper lip. See Illust. of Hymenoptera.
  • noun The external margin of the aperture of a shell. See Univalve.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A large basin of warm water, with an overhanging lip, in a Roman bath.
  • noun The uppermost of the mouthparts (trophi) of a typical insect, such as a cockroach. Typically resembles an upper lip and forms part of the roof of the mouth in such insects.
  • noun anatomy Any of several lip-like projections.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin, lip; see leb- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin lābrum ("bathing tub").

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin labrum ("lip").

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Examples

  • You’ve pulled a ligament called the labrum, which is what the cartilage is attached to in order to hold your shoulder bone in the socket.

    King of the Cowboys Ty Murray 2003

  • The labrum is a fibrous structure that surrounds the rim of the hip socket ( "acetabulum") and has an important sealing function that protects the cartilage layers of the hip like a "gasket seal."

    New Treatments for Hip Pain Dr. Josh Dines 2010

  • The labrum is a fibrous structure that surrounds the rim of the hip socket ( "acetabulum") and has an important sealing function that protects the cartilage layers of the hip like a "gasket seal."

    Dr. Josh Dines and Dr. Rock Positano: New Treatments for Hip Pain 2010

  • The labrum was a great basin or round vase of white marble, rather more than five feet in diameter, into which the hot water bubbled up through a pipe in its centre, and served for the partial ablutions of those who took the vapor-bath.

    Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life

  • Kesler needed the operation to repair his labrum, which is a type of cartilage that surrounds the socket of ball-and-socket joints.

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • Kesler needed the operation to repair his labrum, which is a type of cartilage that surrounds the socket of ball-and-socket joints.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2011

  • Kesler needed the operation to repair his labrum, which is a type of cartilage that surrounds the socket of ball-and-socket joints.

    StarTribune.com rss feed 2011

  • Kesler needed the operation to repair his labrum, which is a type of cartilage that surrounds the socket of ball-and-socket joints.

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • The labrum is a rim of soft tissue that lines the shoulder's ball-and-socket joint and keeps the shoulder stable.

    columbiatribune.com stories < 2010

  • He was trying to pitch with a torn labrum, which is a little like a miler trying to run with a broken ankle.

    The Seattle Times 2010

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