labrum

¹ American  

[ley-bruhm, lab-ruhm] / ˈleɪ brəm, ˈlæb rəm /

noun

plural

labra

1. a lip or liplike part.

2. Zoology.

   1. the anterior, unpaired member of the mouthparts of an arthropod, projecting in front of the mouth.

   2. the outer margin of the aperture of a shell of a gastropod.

3. Anatomy. a ring of cartilage about the edge of a joint surface of a bone.

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labrum ² American  

[ley-bruhm] / ˈleɪ brəm /

noun

Archaeology.

plural

labra

1. an ornamented bathtub of ancient Rome.

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labrum British  

/ ˈlæb-, ˈleɪbrəm /

noun

1. a lip or liplike part, such as the cuticular plate forming the upper lip of insects

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Etymology

Origin of labrum¹

1810–20; < Latin: lip; akin to labium

Origin of labrum²

< Latin lābrum basin, contraction of lavābrum bathtub, equivalent to lavā ( re ) to wash + -brum instrumental suffix

Example Sentences

With just one competition under her belt this season, she dislocated her shoulder and sustained a torn labrum in what she described as the "silliest fall" in training in Switzerland last month.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

She said her labrum injury is less serious than feared, though it will prevent her from training before the Games.

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026

Michael Grove was lost for the year because of labrum surgery.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2025

After offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, will he be as explosive at the plate in his second season in Los Angeles?

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025

Trō′phi, the mouth-parts of an insect—labium, labrum, maxill�, mandibles, lingua: the teeth of the pharynx of a rotifer.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

Related Words

• rim