chest
chehst
Chest (noun) means the front part of the body between the neck and the stomach, containing the ribs, heart, and lungs. Example: “He clutched his chest after running up the stairs.”
noun
1
The front part of the body between the neck and the stomach, containing the ribs, heart, and lungs.
"He clutched his chest after running up the stairs."
"The doctor listened to her chest with a stethoscope."
"The baby fell asleep with her head resting on his chest."
2
A large, sturdy box with a lid, used for storage.
"They kept old blankets in a wooden chest at the foot of the bed."
"A chest in the attic held her grandmother's old letters and photographs."
"The children dragged the heavy wooden chest across the floor to hide their toys."
3
A chest of drawers — a piece of furniture with stacked drawers for clothing.
"His socks were in the top drawer of the chest."
"She bought a pine chest for the spare bedroom to store her sweaters."
"The lamp sits on the chest beside the wardrobe."
How to use chest
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the front of your torso (where your heart and lungs are) or a large storage box.
Common pairings
chest pain
chest of drawers
treasure chest
broad chest
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Word forms
- Plural
- chests
- Third person singular
- chests
- Past tense
- chested
Fill the gap
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He clutched his _____ after running up the stairs.
Etymology
From Old English cest, "box," ultimately from Latin cista and Greek kiste — originally always meant a storage box; the body-part sense developed later by comparing the ribcage to a box.
Related words
Rhymes for chest
See all rhymes for chest →Frequently asked questions
What does “chest” mean?
The word “chest” means the front part of the body between the neck and the stomach, containing the ribs, heart, and lungs. In plain terms, either the front of your torso (where your heart and lungs are) or a large storage box.
How do you pronounce “chest”?
“Chest” is pronounced chehst (/t͡ʃɛst/ in IPA).
How do you use “chest” in a sentence?
Here is “chest” used in a sentence: “He clutched his chest after running up the stairs.”
What part of speech is “chest”?
“Chest” is a noun.
Where does the word “chest” come from?
The word “chest” comes from Latin. From Old English cest, "box," ultimately from Latin cista and Greek kiste — originally always meant a storage box; the body-part sense developed later by comparing the ribcage to a box.
Is “chest” a common word?
“Chest” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “chest” have?
“Chest” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the front part of the body between the neck and the stomach, containing the ribs, heart, and lungs.
What is the difference between the chest and the thorax?
In everyday speech, chest is the common word for the front upper part of the body. Thorax is the anatomical and medical term for the same region — the cavity enclosed by the ribs and breastbone that houses the heart and lungs. Thorax is more precise; chest is more familiar.
What organs are in the chest?
The chest holds the heart and the two lungs, protected by the rib cage and breastbone. It also contains major blood vessels such as the aorta, the windpipe leading to the lungs, and the oesophagus, which carries food to the stomach. These vital organs make the chest a critical region.
Does "chest" have other meanings?
Yes. Besides the part of the body, a chest is also a large, sturdy box with a lid used for storage, such as a treasure chest or a chest of drawers. The two meanings are unrelated in ordinary use, and context makes clear which one is intended.
What is the chest also called?
Informally the chest is sometimes called the breast or bosom, especially in older or literary writing. In medicine it is the thorax or thoracic region. In fitness settings, people often refer to the chest muscles as pecs, short for the pectoral muscles that lie across the front.
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