[thawr-uh-seez, thohr-] . 1350–1400; Middle English < Latin thōrāx < Greek thṓrāx breastplate, part of body which this covers
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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| two lowest pairs of ribs which are attached neither to the sternum nor to cartilages of other ribs |
| ribs having costal cartilages connected with the sternum |
- The development of various parts of an insect, such as the thorax or abdomen, is controlled by specific genes.
- Add sufficient carbon fibre armour for the entire thorax and head.
- Pierolapithecus's thorax is similar to that of modern great apes because it is wider and flatter than a monkey ribcage.
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thorax
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thorax tho·rax (thôr'āks')
n. pl. tho·rax·es or tho·ra·ces (thôr'ə-sēz')
The part of the human body between the neck and the diaphragm, partially encased by the ribs and containing the heart and lungs; the chest.
A part in other vertebrates that corresponds to the human thorax.
The second or middle region of the body of an arthropod, between the head and the abdomen, in insects bearing the legs and wings.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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| thorax (thôr'āks') Pronunciation Key
Plural thoraxes or thoraces (thôr'ə-sēz')
|
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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The part of the body between the neck and diaphragm; the chest.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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thorax
in amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, the chest. In humans and other mammals the chest is that part of the body between the neck and abdomen. In humans the bony framework of the thorax consists of the 12 thoracic vertebrae, 12 pairs of ribs, and the sternum (breastbone). The mammalian thorax contains the chief organs of respiration and circulation, namely, the lungs, some air passages, the heart, and the great vessels (see thoracic cavity). Below, it is bounded by the diaphragm. The bony framework is encased with muscles, fat, and cutaneous tissues.
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