pectoral
/ˈpɛkt(ə)r(ə)l
/adjective
1Relating to the breast or chest: pectoral development...
- It involves removing the breast and the lymph nodes but leaving the pectoral chest muscles intact.
- Cyprinodon diabolis has 17 pectoral rays, 12 dorsal rays and 28 caudal rays.
- There are 11 dorsal spines and 17 pectoral rays that help to distinguish it from the closely related Amphiprion percula.
1.1Worn on the chest: a pectoral shield
noun
1 (usually pectorals) A pectoral muscle: an exercise that will help to develop the pectorals is the bench press...
- The combined training group also completed 4 strengthening exercises targeting the pectorals, latissimus dorsi, gluteals, and quadriceps for 45 minutes.
- The fact that they are middle-aged men - the lines on their faces as chiseled as their biceps, triceps and pectorals - adds to the curiosity the images elicit.
- Your cardiovascular system is composed of your heart, arteries etc, whilst your muscular system is made up of your biceps, pectorals, deltoids etc.
1.1A pectoral fin.Namazu stood on his three prominent fins, the two pectorals and his caudal flippers....
- All of the fins, except the pectorals, were small and placed posteriorly.
2An ornamental breastplate.The pectoral is part of an exhibition which opened on March 30....
- This wonderful piece, the pectoral, which is enough to cover a fairly large adult chest is so gorgeous it actually makes you want to cry.
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense 'breastplate'): from Latin pectorale 'breastplate', pectoralis 'of the breast', from pectus, pector- 'breast, chest'.