shoulderblade
UK[ˈʃəʊldəbleɪd]US[ˈʃoʊldərbleɪd]
n
The large, flat triangular bone in the upper back between the shoulder and the spine; the scapula.
Morpheme Breakdown
shoulder
blade
shoulder
body part
blade
flat part
Etymology
The word "shoulderblade" is a transparent English compound, formed from two native Old English elements. "Shoulder" derives from the Proto-Germanic skuldro, referring to the upper limb joint. "Blade" originates from Proto-Germanic bladaz, meaning "leaf," a term that naturally extended to describe any thin, flat object. The compound logically names the bone for its location (at the shoulder) and its distinctive physical characteristic (its broad, flat, leaf-like shape). This descriptive naming contrasts with the more technical, Latinate synonym "scapula."
Analysis
Structure: shoulder (body part) + blade (flat part)
shoulder: From Old English sculdor, of Germanic origin. In this compound, it denotes the joint connecting the arm to the torso.
blade: From Old English blæd, meaning "leaf" or "flat, expanded part." In this compound, it refers to the broad, flat shape of the bone.
Examples
He felt a sharp pain in his shoulderblade after the fall.
The anatomy diagram clearly labeled the shoulderblade, or scapula.
Her shoulderblades protruded slightly when she stretched her arms back.