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triceps

American  
[trahy-seps] / ˈtraɪ sɛps /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

tricepses, triceps

  1. a muscle having three heads or points of origin, especially the muscle on the back of the arm, the action of which straightens the elbow.

triceps British  
/ ˈtraɪsɛps /

noun

  1. any muscle having three heads, esp the one ( triceps brachii ) that extends the forearm

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
triceps Scientific  
/ trī′sĕps′ /

  1. The muscle at the back of the upper arm that raises and lowers the forearm. The triceps has three points of attachment to bone at its origin.

Etymology

Origin of triceps

1570–80; < Latin: three-headed, equivalent to tri- tri- + -ceps, stem -cipit- -headed, derivative of caput head

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Vocabulary lists containing triceps

Physical Education - Middle School and High School

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Human Anatomy and Physiology - High School

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tri-

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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.

His career has seen him undergo several operations, including on his neck, pec and triceps, with Cena saying in interviews that his "body hurts" and is "screaming to close the chapter".

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

One of Sosa’s clients, the 52-year-old fashion consultant, went on Mounjaro last March and has since lost 40 pounds — but she saw muscle on her triceps and legs dwindle.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2025

Initially told he might only have the use of his biceps, he is also building strength in his triceps and wrists.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2024

Yamamoto completed his between-starts workout in the bullpen Thursday and said he was not experiencing any triceps tightness on Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2024

By this time, I was five inches taller than she was, and my recently defined shoulders, biceps, and triceps made me look older than my age.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

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.