costarum

Costarum is the genitive plural form of the Latin word costa, meaning rib. In anatomy, costarum appears in Latinized compound terms to indicate a relation to or association with the ribs. It is commonly seen in descriptors such as incisurae costarum (notches of the ribs) or foramina costarum (costal foramina), where the genitive plural specifies the ribs involved.

Etymology and grammar: Costa is a first-declension noun meaning rib. Its forms include nominative costa, genitive singular costae, and genitive plural costarum. The costarum form signals possession or association with multiple ribs and is used in phrases describing anatomical features connected to the ribs, typically in Latin grammar that underpins traditional anatomical nomenclature.

Usage and scope: In modern anatomy, terms containing costarum are primarily found in historical texts, in scholarly discussions of Latin nomenclature, or in Latinized labels within educational materials. In everyday English medical writing, the English equivalents rib or of the ribs are usually preferred, except when quoting or referencing the original Latin names or when illustrating Latin grammatical conventions in anatomy.

See also: costa (rib), costa anatomica, anatomical terminology, Terminologia Anatomica.