thorax

tho·rax | \ ˈthȯr-ˌaks

plural thoraxes or thoraces\ ˈthȯr-ə-ˌsēz

Definition of thorax

1 : the part of the mammalian body between the neck and the abdomen also : its cavity in which the heart and lungs lie

2 : the middle of the three chief divisions of the body of an insect also : the corresponding part of a crustacean or an arachnid

Examples of thorax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In insects, the thorax is made up of three segments, with wings reliably developing on the latter two. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "Treehoppers’ Bizarre, Wondrous Helmets Use Wing Genes to Grow," 9 Dec. 2019 Their study, published today in Nature Ecology & Evolution, suggests treehopper helmets are indeed bits of thorax, not wings. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "Treehoppers’ Bizarre, Wondrous Helmets Use Wing Genes to Grow," 9 Dec. 2019 Beetles have horns on their heads and the midregion of their body called the thorax, which is broken into three segments. — Erica Tennenhouse, Science | AAAS, "Dung beetles borrowed wing genes to grow their horns," 21 Nov. 2019 At Madewell, the Momjean, rolled out in August, clears the bellybutton with room to spare at twelve and a half inches, and their Paperbag jeans, which launched in September, sit even closer to the thorax, at thirteen inches. — Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, "How High Can High-Waisted Pants Go?," 12 Nov. 2019 The kicker: golden pollen covering its thorax, abdomen, and legs. — Stephenie Livingston, Science | AAAS, "This amber-encased beetle may have been one of the first insects to pollinate flowers," 11 Nov. 2019 Every single one of her kids, including baby Psalm with his teeny tiny antennae, is dressed like a bug: North has a full set of wings sprouting from her thorax, and Saint doesn't seem all too pleased to be looking like a slug. — Hilary Hughes, Billboard, "Kanye West & Kim Kardashian Dressed The Whole Family in Their Creepiest Halloween Costumes Yet," 2 Nov. 2019 While in flight, the female Aeshna juncea contorts so that her genitals, which are near the end of her body, connect with the male’s genitals, which are near his thorax. — Patricia Edmonds, National Geographic, "Why this insect fakes death to avoid sex," 17 June 2019 Pneumo thorax, which can easily degenerate to death, is a common side effect of lung biopsies. — Jonathan Kolatch, WSJ, "Keeping Dad Alive From 7,000 Miles Away," 23 Dec. 2018

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

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Last Updated

4 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Thorax.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorax. Accessed 19 January 2020.

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More Definitions for thorax

thorax

noun

English Language Learners Definition of thorax

technical

: the part of an animal's body between the neck and the waist

: the middle section of an insect's body

See the full definition for thorax in the English Language Learners Dictionary

thorax

noun

tho·rax | \ ˈthȯr-ˌaks

plural thoraxes or thoraces\ ˈthȯr-ə-ˌsēz \

Kids Definition of thorax

1 : the part of the body of a mammal that lies between the neck and the abdomen and contains the heart and lungs

2 : the middle of the three main divisions of the body of an insect

thorax

noun

tho·rax | \ ˈthō(ə)r-ˌaks, ˈthȯ(ə)r-

plural thoraxes or thoraces\ ˈthōr-ə-ˌsēz, ˈthȯr-

Medical Definition of thorax

1 : the part of the mammalian body that is situated between the neck and the abdomen and supported by the ribs, costal cartilages, and sternum also : thoracic cavity

2 : the middle of the three chief divisions of the body of an insect also : the corresponding part of a crustacean or an arachnid

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