Rib is one of the curved bones that wraps around from your spine to protect your heart and lungs. You have 24 ribs in total, 12 on each side, forming a protective cage around vital organs. When doctors talk about someone breaking a rib, they mean one of these bones cracked, usually from a hard fall or impact during sports.

The word also describes the curved supporting pieces in other structures. An umbrella has ribs that spread out from the center to hold the fabric taut. A ship's hull has ribs (also called frames) that curve from the keel upward, giving the vessel its shape and strength. Architects and engineers borrow this idea from nature: just as your ribs protect your organs while allowing you to bend and move, structural ribs provide strength without adding too much weight.

In cooking, ribs are the meat surrounding these bones, like the beef ribs or pork ribs you might eat at a barbecue. The meat between the bones stays tender and flavorful when cooked slowly.

To rib someone (as a verb) means to tease them good-naturedly, the way friends joke around without being mean. If your friend trips over their shoelaces, you might rib them about it later, but only if you know they'll laugh too.