What is the chest muscle called?
The chest muscle is called the pectoralis major. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a large, fan-shaped muscle covering the front of the upper chest.
What it is
- A large, fan-shaped muscle covering the front of the upper chest.
- Has a clavicular head above and a sternal head below.
- Pulls the arm across the chest and rotates it inward.
Where it is
- On the front of the chest.
- Arises from the clavicle, sternum, and upper costal cartilages.
- Inserts into the front of the humerus.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
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