subpectoral
|sub-pec-tor-al|
🇺🇸
/sʌbˈpɛktərəl/
🇬🇧
/sʌbˈpɛkt(ə)rəl/
under the pectoral muscle
Etymology
'subpectoral' originates from Latin, specifically the prefix 'sub-' meaning 'under' and the adjective 'pectoralis' (from 'pectus') meaning 'breast' or 'chest'.
'subpectoral' was formed in English by combining the Latin prefix 'sub-' with the Latin-derived adjective 'pectoral' (from Medieval/Latin 'pectoralis'), resulting in a compound meaning 'under the pectoral'.
Initially, elements meant 'under' and 'of the chest'; over time the compound came to be used specifically to describe something positioned beneath the pectoral muscle (rather than more generally 'under the chest').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
located beneath or under the pectoral (chest) muscle; used especially in surgical or anatomical contexts (e.g., a subpectoral pocket for an implant).
The breast implant was placed in a subpectoral pocket beneath the pectoralis major.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/04 19:29