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costal

American  
[kos-tl, kaws-tl] / ˈkɒs tl, ˈkɔs tl /

adjective

  1. Anatomy. pertaining to the ribs or the upper sides of the body.

    costal nerves.

  2. Botany, Zoology. pertaining to, involving, or situated near a costa.


Other Word Forms

  • costally adverb
  • postcostal adjective
  • precostal adjective

Etymology

Origin of costal

1625–35; < Medieval Latin costālis of the ribs, equivalent to Latin cost ( a ) rib, side + -ālis -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

G's Cool Spot was well known among locals and British holidaymakers visiting the costal town of Black River in St Elizabeth.

From BBC

Tests later revealed he broke the costal cartilage of his sixth rib.

From Los Angeles Times

The couple's costal walk was detailed in Ms Winn's best-selling book, The Salt Path.

From BBC

Hundreds of thousands of people were facing power outages on Tuesday that could take days to restore after a sweeping costal storm battered the Northeast with whipping winds and soaking downpours.

From New York Times

Based on projections, the elderly boom will be in rural, largely costal, areas and these places are often poor cousins when it comes to provision.

From BBC