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plural pecs
ˈpeks
informal
: a muscle connecting the ventral walls of the chest with the bones of the upper arm and shoulder : pectoral muscle
—usually plural
His muscular pecs and biceps were vestiges of his short, happy life as a pro triathlete.—Austin Murphy
Hunky Patrick Swayze got to flex his pecs as a surfer in Point Break …—Jim Harwood
In this totally enjoyable film, Schwarzenegger is witty, charming, subtle, tough and most impressive—a Cary Grant with pecs.—Ralph Novak
Examples of pec in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The movement may be most closely associated with the sport and Beck’s position, in particular — the overhead throwing motion — is what Lee told him was the likely cause, the pec muscles contracting on the artery and then potentially sending particles of a blood clot down the arm.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024
The pec major is responsible for adduction of the arm (movement in toward the body's midline) and rotation of the arm forward, while the pec minor is responsible for moving your ribs and shoulders.
—Brett Williams, Men's Health, 6 Sep. 2023
The pec major is bigger, and sits above the pec minor.
—Brett Williams, Men's Health, 6 Sep. 2023
The Chest Muscles, Explained The chest is made up of the pec major, pec minor, and serratus anterior.
—Women's Health Editors, Women's Health, 14 June 2023
For Étude Pour Sébastien, Greenberg’s nearly five-hour-long nighttime performance in the museum’s illustrious halls, the artist wore black sclera lenses, full body paint, and three metal arrows, which pierced his pec, shoulder, and ribs.
—Stephanie Sporn, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 May 2023
Many trainers view the pec major as having the three regions mentioned above, but that doesn't mean there's a lower chest muscle sitting all on its own, waiting to be targeted by the perfect move.
—Brett Williams, Men's Health, 28 Feb. 2023
Jacob Phillips is on IR after suffering a pec injury.
—Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 9 Nov. 2022
Another standout feature of Fagan’s pec workout?
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 13 Jan. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pec.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1944, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near pec
Cite this Entry
“Pec.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pec. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
Medical Definition
pec
noun
: pectoralis
—usually used in plural
More from Merriam-Webster on pec
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pec
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