pecs
5 synonyms for pecs, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The chest muscles, especially the pectoralis major on each side of the upper chest.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use pecs
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
build your pecs
upper pecs
lower pecs
pec deck
Informal gym and fitness slang; write pectoral muscles in medical or formal contexts.
Etymology
A shortening of pectorals, from Latin pectoralis, from pectus meaning 'chest'.
Full origin of pecs →Frequently asked questions
What muscles are the pecs?
Mainly the pectoralis major, the large fan-shaped muscle covering the front of the ribcage, plus the smaller pectoralis minor underneath it. The pectoralis major pulls the arm across and in towards the body.
What is the difference between upper and lower pecs?
They are regions of the same muscle rather than separate muscles. The clavicular head, the so-called upper pecs, attaches to the collarbone and is emphasised by incline pressing; the sternal head, the lower and larger part, is worked more by flat and decline pressing.
Does PECS ever mean something other than chest muscles?
Yes. In education and speech therapy, PECS stands for the Picture Exchange Communication System, a method that lets non-speaking people communicate by handing over picture cards. Context makes the two easy to tell apart.
