thorax

tho·rax  (thôrks, thr-)

n. pl. tho·rax·es or tho·ra·ces (thôr-sz, thr-)

1. The part of the human body between the neck and the diaphragm, partially encased by the ribs and containing the heart and lungs; the chest.

2. A part in other vertebrates that corresponds to the human thorax.

3. The second or middle region of the body of an arthropod, between the head and the abdomen, in insects bearing the true legs and wings.

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[Middle English, from Latin thrx, breastplate, chest, from Greek.]

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thorax [thaw-racks, thaw-rass-seez]

Noun

pl thoraxes or thoraces

1. the part of the human body enclosed by the ribs

2. the part of an insect's body between the head and abdomen [Greek: breastplate, chest]

thoracic adj

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thorax  (thôrks)

Plural thoraxes or thoraces (thôr-sz)

1. 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.

2. 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.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	thorax - the middle region of the body of an arthropod between the head and the abdomen arthropod - invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body with an exoskeleton made of chitin body part - any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity
	2.	thorax - the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates chest, pectus craniate, vertebrate - animals having a bony or cartilaginous skeleton with a segmented spinal column and a large brain enclosed in a skull or cranium body part - any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity breastbone, sternum - the flat bone that articulates with the clavicles and the first seven pairs of ribs thoracic aorta - a branch of the descending aorta; divides into the iliac arteries thoracic vein, vena thoracica - veins that drain the thoracic walls gall bladder, gallbladder - a muscular sac attached to the liver that stores bile (secreted by the liver) until it is needed for digestion area of cardiac dullness - a triangular area of the front of the chest (determined by percussion); corresponds to the part of the heart not covered by the lungs torso, trunk, body - the body excluding the head and neck and limbs; "they moved their arms and legs and bodies" female chest, bust - the chest of a woman male chest - the chest of a man musculus pectoralis, pecs, pectoral, pectoral muscle, pectoralis - either of two large muscles of the chest chest cavity, thoracic cavity - the cavity in the vertebrate body enclosed by the ribs between the diaphragm and the neck and containing the lungs and heart breast, chest - the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen; "he beat his breast in anger" rib cage - the bony enclosing wall of the chest
	3.	thorax - part of an insect's body that bears the wings and legs insect - small air-breathing arthropod prothorax - the anterior part of an insect's thorax; bears the first pair of legs body part - any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity