pec

noun

ˈpek

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 MurphyHunky Patrick Swayze got to flex his pecs as a surfer in Point Break …—

Jim HarwoodIn this totally enjoyable film, Schwarzenegger is witty, charming, subtle, tough and most impressive—a Cary Grant with pecs.—

Ralph Novak

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The Saints will be without two of their best offensive linemen (Erik McCoy and Andrus Peat) with game-wrecker T.J. Watt returning from a pec injury that’s kept him sidelined since Week 1. —

Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Nov. 2022 In this case, shoulder adduction—or moving your arm inward across your body—is the main function of your pec muscles. —

Jeff Tomko, Men's Health, 27 Oct. 2022 Cam Heyward missed the second half of the 2016 season after tearing his pec in a Week 10 game against Dallas. —

BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2022 Sutterer draws parallels between Rhodes' injury and bodybuilder Ryan Crowley, who sustained a similar pec tear while performing the bench press last year (powerlifter Larry Wheels later uploaded the gruesome footage to Instagram). —

Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 8 June 2022 Try squeezing your pec muscles and abducting your arms (move them out to the sides away from your body), Williams says. —

Jenny Mccoy, SELF, 2 Jan. 2022 Williams also suggests rolling or stretching out your pec minor before and after the workout. —

Jenny Mccoy, SELF, 2 Jan. 2022 Setting themselves apart from the mirror-gazing, pec-bulging culture that characterized chains like Gold’s Gym in the 1980s and 1990s, the two chains emphasized accessibility to all. —

Ron Hurtibise, sun-sentinel.com, 17 Oct. 2021 Then on Tuesday in his press conference, Mike Tomlin told reporters including Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network that Ben Roethlisberger has a left pec injury. —

Tim Bielik, cleveland, 21 Sep. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pec.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.