Omoplate

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The flat, triangular bone at the back of the shoulder, also called the scapula
2. A broad bone on each side of the upper back that connects the upper arm to the collarbone
3. The large flat bone of the upper back that forms part of the shoulder joint and gives muscles their anchor

Etymology: The bone you feel when you roll your shoulder is named after a flat surface, not a blade. In ancient Greek, "ōmoplátē" joined "ōmos" ("shoulder") and "plátē," a word meaning something flat or broad, and it was the flatness of the bone that gave it its name. The Greek compound passed into French as "omoplate," and English borrowed that French form. The English word is a straightforward borrowing, with the Greek parts still visible: "omo-" carries the sense of shoulder, and "-plate" comes from the same root as the broad, flat shape the bone has.

Synonyms: scapula, shoulder blade