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Definition of "pectoral" [pec•to•ral]

  • Relating to or situated in the breast or chest: a pectoral muscle; the pectoral cavity. (adjective)
  • Useful in relieving disorders of the chest or respiratory tract. (adjective)
  • Worn on the chest or breast: a pectoral cross. (adjective)
  • A muscle or organ of the chest. (noun)
  • A pectoral fin. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "pectoral" in a sentence
  • "On his left pectoral is a skull with one eyeball dangling from the socket by a cord of veins."
  • "Her shoulders were broad, and her pectoral muscles were anchored to an oversized breastbone called the pectoral crest."
  • "It is in the style of what the pope would call a pectoral cross."