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 Murphy

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

—Jim Harwood

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

—Ralph Novak

Examples of pec in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers experienced a scary situation on Sunday when it was believed that standout safety Jordan Whitehead suffered a torn pec and would be sidelined for the rest of the 2024 season. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024

The most significant boost for Week 1 would come from the return of Coleman after the potential left tackle starter missed the entire preseason with a shoulder/pec strain. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Nov. 2024

With Jones healed from surgery on his pec and shoulder, that contest is fast approaching. —Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

The movement may be most closely associated with the sport and Beck’s position, in particular — the overhead throwing motion — is what Lee told him was the likely cause, the pec muscles contracting on the artery and then potentially sending particles of a blood clot down the arm. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

pec

noun

ˈpek 

: pectoralis

—usually used in plural

Geographical Definition

Peć

geographical name

ˈpech 

variants or Pejë

ˈpā-ə 

town in western Kosovo that was the seat of the patriarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Middle Ages population 49,000