THORACIC CAVITY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does thoracic cavity mean? 

• THORACIC CAVITY (noun)
  The noun THORACIC CAVITY has 1 sense:

1. the cavity in the vertebrate body enclosed by the ribs between the diaphragm and the neck and containing the lungs and heart

  Familiarity information: THORACIC CAVITY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• THORACIC CAVITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The cavity in the vertebrate body enclosed by the ribs between the diaphragm and the neck and containing the lungs and heart

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

chest cavity; thoracic cavity

Hypernyms ("thoracic cavity" is a kind of...):

bodily cavity; cavity; cavum ((anatomy) a natural hollow or sinus within the body)

Meronyms (parts of "thoracic cavity"):

mediastinum (the part of the thoracic cavity between the lungs that contains the heart and aorta and esophagus and trachea and thymus)

Holonyms ("thoracic cavity" is a part of...):

chest; pectus; thorax (the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates)

 Context examples 

Any lymph node within the thoracic cavity.

(Intrathoracic Lymph Node, NCI Thesaurus)

A malignant neoplasm arising from the brown adipose tissue in animals, usually in the subcutis and the thoracic cavity.

(Experimental Organism Malignant Hibernoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A small round cell tumor confined to a specific area of the thoracic cavity without evidence of spread to another anatomic site.

(Localized Askin Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

A non-metastasizing neoplasm arising from any of the organs of the thoracic cavity.

(Benign Thoracic Neoplasm, NCI Thesaurus)

A non-neoplastic disorder that affects the thorax and/or the organs of the thoracic cavity.

(Non-Neoplastic Thoracic Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

A rare congenital anomaly where the heart is formed outside of the thoracic cavity.

(Ectopia Cordis, NCI Thesaurus)

Example(s): celom, thoracic cavity, lesser sac of peritoneum, cavity of right atrium, lumen of blood vessel, mediastinum, anterior compartment of forearm, intervertebral foramen.

(Body Space, NCI Thesaurus/UWDA)

A sudden, often repetitive, spasmodic contraction of the thoracic cavity, resulting in violent release of air from the lungs, and usually accompanied by a distinctive sound.

(Cough, NCI Thesaurus)

It increases the volume of the thoracic cavity through contractions, thus facilitating respiration.

(Diaphragm, NCI Thesaurus)

Within the thoracic cavity.

(Intrathoracic, NCI Thesaurus)