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pectoralis

American  
[pek-tuh-ral-is, -rey-lis, -rah-] / ˌpɛk təˈræl ɪs, -ˈreɪ lɪs, -ˈrɑ- /

noun

Anatomy.
pectorales plural
  1. 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.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of pectoralis

< Latin pectorālis; see pectoral

Vocabulary lists containing pectoralis

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.

See Examples For:

Another movement that uses a “T” strap stretches the pectoralis minor muscle, a relatively small muscle in the chest that gets a heavy workout from stroking into a wave.

From Washington Times Jan. 31, 2015

Anibal Sanchez went on the disabled list with a major right pectoralis strain and isn't expected to return until next month.

From Reuters Aug. 16, 2014

“That’s when you attempt some diabolically heavy lift and you just rip a bicep tendon or you rip a pectoralis muscle‚” Phillips said.

From Washington Post

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

From A Manual of the Operations of Surgery For the Use of Senior Students, House Surgeons, and Junior Practitioners by Bell, Joseph

Peromyscus pectoralis and P. boylii are closely related morphologically and seem to occupy the same habitat.

From The Recent Mammals of Tamaulipas, Mexico by Alvarez, Ticul

The musculi pectorales so swelled, and the cartilago ensiformis so singularly raised, that the chest of the corpse touched the mouth.

From Sidonia, the Sorceress : the Supposed Destroyer of the Whole Reigning Ducal House of Pomerania — Volume 2 by Meinhold, Wilhelm

When they want to move a little they gently protrude themselves with their pinnae pectorales; but it is with their strong muscular tails only that they and all fishes shoot along with such inconceivable rapidity.

From The Natural History of Selborne by White, Gilbert

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