Pec″to‐ral (–ral), a. [L. pectoralis, fr. pectus, -oris the breast; cf. F. pectoral.] 1. Of or pertaining to the breast, or chest; as, the pectoral muscles.
2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or lungs; as, a pectoral remedy.
3. (Zoöl.) Having the breast conspicuously colored; as, the pectoral sandpiper.
Pectoral arch, orPectoral girdle(Anat.), the two or more bony or cartilaginous pieces of the vertebrate skeleton to which the fore limbs are articulated; the shoulder girdle. In man it consists of two bones, the scapula and clavicle, on each side. — Pectoral cross(Eccl.), a cross worn on the breast by bishops and abbots, and sometimes also by canons. — Pectoral fins,orPectorals(Zoöl.), fins situated on the sides, behind the gills. See Illust. under Fin. — Pectoral rail. (Zoöl.) See Land rail (b) under Land. — Pectoral sandpiper(Zoöl.), the jacksnipe (b).