thorax
Americannoun
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Anatomy. the part of the trunk in humans and higher vertebrates between the neck and the abdomen, containing the cavity, enclosed by the ribs, sternum, and certain vertebrae, in which the heart, lungs, etc., are situated; chest.
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Zoology. a corresponding part in other animals.
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(in insects) the portion of the body between the head and the abdomen.
noun
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the part of the human body enclosed by the ribs
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the corresponding part in other vertebrates
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the part of an insect's body between the head and abdomen, which bears the wings and legs
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The upper part of the trunk in vertebrate animals. The thorax includes the rib cage, which encloses the heart and lungs. In mammals, the thorax lies above the abdomen and below the neck.
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The middle division of the body of an insect, to which the wings and legs are attached. The thorax lies between the head and the abdomen.
Etymology
Origin of thorax
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin thōrāx < Greek thṓrāx breastplate, part of body which this covers
Explanation
A thorax is the middle section of a body. If you’re a human, the thorax is your chest, which includes the heart and lungs. If you’re a wasp, the thorax includes the wings and legs. Also, if you’re a wasp, go away. If you feel pain in your thorax, it may be coming from sore chest muscles or a bruised rib, or it could be more serious, since your thorax includes your heart. Having a bad cough or difficulty breathing affects your thorax as well. Still, this anatomical term is most likely to be used by a doctor or a scientist such as an entomologist, a person who studies bugs. It's the same word, thorax, in both Latin and Greek, meaning "breastplate or chest."
Vocabulary lists containing thorax
Gross, Anatomy!
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Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
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Buzzwords for National Honey Bee Day
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You are unlikely to find The Lancet, Thorax or the Journal of the American Medical Association in your doctor's waiting room, but their contents have more impact on your health than the usual lifestyle magazines.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2015
The policy applies to the BMJ and its sister journals Thorax, Heart and BMJ Open.
From Nature • Oct. 23, 2013
Figure 20.31 Major Arteries Serving the Thorax and Upper Limb The arteries that supply blood to the arms and hands are extensions of the subclavian arteries.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Figure 19.2 Position of the Heart in the Thorax The heart is located within the thoracic cavity, medially between the lungs in the mediastinum.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Thorax anticus valde productus et attenuatus; scutellum bispinosum; metathorax magnus, declivis.
From Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society - Vol. 3 Zoology by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
