Thorax

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Thorax \Tho"rax\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?.]
     1. (Anat.) The part of the trunk between the neck and the
        abdomen, containing that part of the body cavity the walls
        of which are supported by the dorsal vertebrae, the ribs,
        and the sternum, and which the heart and lungs are
        situated; the chest.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In mammals the thoracic cavity is completely separated
           from the abdominal by the diaphragm, but in birds and
           many reptiles the separation is incomplete, while in
           other reptiles, and in amphibians and fishes, there is
           no marked separation and no true thorax.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.)
        (a) The middle region of the body of an insect, or that
            region which bears the legs and wings. It is composed
            of three united somites, each of which is composed of
            several distinct parts. See Illust. in Appendix. and
            Illust. of {Coleoptera}.
        (b) The second, or middle, region of the body of a
            crustacean, arachnid, or other articulate animal. In
            the case of decapod Crustacea, some writers include
            under the term thorax only the three segments bearing
            the maxillipeds; others include also the five segments
            bearing the legs. See Illust. in Appendix.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Antiq.) A breastplate, cuirass, or corselet; especially,
        the breastplate worn by the ancient Greeks.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  thorax
       n 1: the middle region of the body of an arthropod between the
            head and the abdomen
       2: the part of the human body between the neck and the
          diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
          [syn: {chest}, {pectus}]
       3: part of an insect's body that bears the wings and legs
       [also: {thoraces} (pl)]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  28 Moby Thesaurus words for "thorax":
     bag, boobs, bosom, breast, breasts, brisket, bust, chest, crop,
     dug, knockers, mama, mamelon, mamelonation, mammary gland,
     mammilla, mammillation, nenes, nipple, pap, papilla, pigeon breast,
     teat, tit, tits, titties, titty, udder