pectoralis

[ pek-tuh-ral-is, -rey-lis, -rah- ]

/ ˌpɛk təˈræl ɪs, -ˈreɪ lɪs, -ˈrɑ- /

noun, plural pec·to·ral·es [pek-tuh-ral-eez, -rey-leez, -rah-] /ˌpɛk təˈræl iz, -ˈreɪ liz, -ˈrɑ-/. Anatomy.

either of two muscles on each side of the upper and anterior part of the thorax, the action of the larger (pectoralis major) assisting in drawing the shoulder forward and rotating the arm inward, and the action of the smaller (pectoralis minor) assisting in drawing the shoulder downward and forward.

Origin of pectoralis

< Latin pectorālis; see pectoral

Words nearby pectoralis

pectoral girdle, pectoral muscle, pectoral nerve, pectoral sandpiper, pectoral vein, pectoralis, pectoriloquy, pectose, pectous, pectus, pectus carinatum

Example sentences from the Web for pectoralis

A great, fan-shaped muscle, called the pectoralis major, lies on the chest.

A Practical Physiology |Albert F. Blaisdell
A closely allied form occurs in Alaska, and has been named Dallia pectoralis, Bean.

The Voyage of the Vega round Asia and Europe, Volume I and Volume II |A.E. Nordenskieold
The bolus consisted of a portion of the pectoralis major of a subject brought to the dissecting-room at the Middlesex Hospital.

Parasites |T. Spencer Cobbold
The pectoralis transversus and other muscles were found to harbour a considerable number of encysted Trichin.

Parasites |T. Spencer Cobbold

The clavicular portion of the pectoralis major must then be divided right across its fibres, which will retract.

A Manual of the Operations of Surgery |Joseph Bell

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pectoralis

noun, plural pec·to·ral·es [pek-tuh-ral-eez, -rey-leez, -rah-] /ˌpɛk təˈræl iz, -ˈreɪ liz, -ˈrɑ-/. Anatomy.

Origin of pectoralis

Words nearby pectoralis

Example sentences from the Web for pectoralis