sub-pectoral
|sub-pec-tor-al|
🇺🇸
/sʌbˈpɛktərəl/
🇬🇧
/sʌbˈpɛktɒrəl/
(subpectoral)
under the pectoral muscle
Etymology
'sub-pectoral' originates from Latin, specifically the elements 'sub' and 'pectoralis', where 'sub-' meant 'under' and 'pectoralis' meant 'of the chest'.
'sub-pectoral' changed from the Late Latin/Medieval Latin compound 'subpectoralis' and entered English usage in modern scientific and medical vocabulary as 'subpectoral' or 'sub-pectoral'.
Initially it meant 'under the chest' (a general locative sense), but over time it evolved into the current precise anatomical meaning of 'located under the pectoral muscle'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
located beneath the pectoral muscle (typically the pectoralis major); used in medical and anatomical contexts to describe position or implant placement.
The surgeon placed the implant in a sub-pectoral pocket.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/07 13:04