breast

1 of 2

noun

1
: either of the pair of mammary glands extending from the front of the chest in pubescent and adult human females and some other mammals
also : either of the analogous but rudimentary organs of the male chest especially when enlarged
2
a
: the fore or ventral part of the body between the neck and the abdomen
b
: the part of an article of clothing covering the breast
3
: the seat of emotion and thought : bosom
4
a
: something (such as a front, swelling, or curving part) resembling a breast
breasted adjective

breast

2 of 2

verb

breasted; breasting; breasts

transitive verb

1
: to contend with resolutely : confront
breasting the waves
2
chiefly British : climb, ascend
3
: to thrust the chest against
the sprinter breasted the tape

Examples of breast in a Sentence

Noun My breast heaved with emotion. a bird with an orange breast I ordered the grilled breast of chicken. a few slices of turkey breast Do you prefer a breast or a leg? Verb I was at the race's finish line to see the winner breast the tape. breasted the diagnosis of cancer with fortitude and optimism
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Alcohol alone is a risk factor for several types of cancers, including breast cancer, esophageal cancer, and liver cancer, among others. Maggie O'Neill, Health, 5 Mar. 2024 Depression, anxiety common after breast cancer diagnosis. Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Burgess died of breast cancer in hospice care on Saturday, Brown Johnson, a longtime friend, told The New York Times. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Burgess died Saturday in hospice care in Manhattan of breast cancer, her former Nickelodeon colleague Brown Johnson told The New York Times. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 The watch also showcases the pale pink synonymous with breast cancer awareness. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 The medication should not be used by people who have ever had or currently have breast cancer. Katia Hetter, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 McDaniel died in 1952 of breast cancer at the age of 59. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 In 2018, Young was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
So, grab one of Symone's Diana Ross breasts as a floatation device and hitch a ride on the S.S. Muse, because EW's BINGE podcast is back, back, back again. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 26 Sep. 2023 Duck is presented two ways, legs deboned and braised and breasts dry-aged and crisped, and paired with a black garlic sauce, mushroom jus and scallion oil. Alyson Sheppard, Robb Report, 21 July 2023 Here’s an easy pot sticker recipe that can be made with pigeon or any number of other game meats. 8 pigeons, breasted¼ cup ginger, minced 2 eggs, beaten 1 head Napa cabbage, sliced 2 bunches of scallions, thinly sliced 2 carrots, julienned 2 Tbsp. Cosmo Genova, Field & Stream, 30 Apr. 2020 On Plum Island, there were 16 Northern shovelers, eight red-grebes, two rough-legged hawks, and a yellow-breasted chat. BostonGlobe.com, 23 Dec. 2019 Few people pluck snows, and the birds are typically breasted. Brad Fenson, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2020 From the menswear brand's Winter 2019 collection, the monochrome look consisted of a double-breasted jacket over a matching shirt, skinny tie, and trousers. Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, 7 Sep. 2019 In fact, business suits with ties were few and far between on Milan runways, while jackets took on an array of shapes beyond the traditional notched lapel or double-breasted looks. Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2020 Sandwiched in between her husband and her son, Victoria grounded the trio of tailored looks in a white double-breasted ensemble which was deliberately oversized. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'breast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English brest, from Old English brēost; akin to Old High German brust breast, Old Irish brú belly, Russian bryukho

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breast was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near breast

Cite this Entry

“Breast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breast. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

breast

1 of 2 noun
1
: either of two milk-producing glands extending from the front of the chest in the human female and some other mammals
also : mammary gland
2
: the front part of the body between the neck and the abdomen
3
: the center of emotion
4
: something resembling a breast
breasted adjective

breast

2 of 2 verb
: to face or oppose bravely : confront
breasted the waves
breast a storm

Medical Definition

breast

noun
1
: either of the pair of mammary glands extending from the front of the chest in pubescent and adult females of humans and some other mammals
also : either of the analogous but rudimentary organs of the male chest especially when enlarged
2
: the fore or ventral part of the body between the neck and the abdomen

More from Merriam-Webster on breast

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