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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Body Regions and Directional Terms

Thorax

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˈθɔːræks/nounCore term

In anatomy & physiology, thorax means: The chest: the part of the trunk between the neck and the abdomen. It is enclosed by the ribs, sternum and thoracic vertebrae and contains the heart and lungs.

In Turkish: toraks, göğüs

How it is used

A formal anatomy word; in clinical talk doctors often just say chest. The adjective thoracic appears in many terms: thoracic cavity, thoracic spine, thoracic surgery. The plural is thoraces or thoraxes, but it is rarely needed.

Example sentences

  1. The thorax contains the heart, the lungs and the great vessels.

  2. There are twelve thoracic vertebrae, one for each pair of ribs.

Common collocations

  • thoracic cavity
  • thoracic spine
  • thoracic wall
  • thoracic surgery
  • abdomenThe part of the trunk between the chest and the pelvis. It contains the stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys and other organs, and is separated from the chest by the diaphragm.
  • rib cageThe bony frame of the chest formed by 12 pairs of ribs, the sternum and the thoracic vertebrae. It protects the heart and lungs and moves during breathing.
  • lungOne of the two spongy organs in the chest where oxygen passes from the air into the blood and carbon dioxide leaves it. The right lung has three lobes and the left lung has two.
  • heartThe muscular organ in the chest that pumps blood around the body. It has four chambers: two atria that receive blood and two ventricles that pump it out.
  • diaphragmThe dome-shaped sheet of muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. When it contracts it flattens and draws air into the lungs; it is the main muscle of breathing.

More terms: Body Regions and Directional Terms

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.