quadriceps

noun

quad·​ri·​ceps ˈkwä-drə-ˌseps 

plural quadriceps also quadricepses

: the greater extensor muscle of the front of the thigh that is divided into four parts

Examples of quadriceps in a Sentence

He felt a pain in his right quadriceps.

Recent Examples on the Web

His scoring helped the Bulls snap a three-game losing streak and win their first game since DeMar DeRozan strained his right quadriceps last week against the Boston Celtics. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2023

On Saturday, France, the defending champion, was dealt a blow when its superstar striker, Karim Benzema, was ruled out of the tournament after tearing his left quadriceps in a training session. —Jody Rosen, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2022

McGlinchey missed the final nine games and playoffs a season ago with torn quadriceps. —Vincent Frank, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2022

Then there’s Gerald McCoy, who signed a three-year, $18 million deal in 2020 and ruptured his quadriceps in training camp and never played a game. —Dallas News, 11 Apr. 2022

Word History

Etymology

New Latin quadricipit-, quadriceps, from quadri- + -cipit-, -ceps (as in bicipit-, biceps biceps)

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

quadriceps

noun

quad·​ri·​ceps ˈkwäd-rə-ˌseps 

: a large extensor muscle of the front of the thigh divided above into four parts which include the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus medialis, and which unite in a single tendon to enclose the patella as a sesamoid bone at the knee and insert as the patellar tendon into the tuberosity of the tibia

called also quadriceps femoris, quadriceps muscle