What is breast? How to use in English

Discover the meaning of breast in English, its pronunciation, and how to use it correctly in real-life situations. See examples and easy memorization tips.

Definition & pronunciation of breast

breastnoun

ngực, vú

/brɛst/

Definition & pronunciation of <strong>breast</strong>

Where does the word breast come from?

The word "breast" has a complex and nuanced history. The modern English word "breast" is derived from Old English "brēost," which referred to the torso or chest. This Old English word is thought to have descended from the Proto-Germanic word "*brōstiz," which also meant "chest." However, the word "breast" has also been used to refer to the mammary gland or nipple of a human or animal since ancient times. In Old English, the word "brōst" could also mean "milk" or "nourishment," reflecting the importance of breastfeeding in human societies. In modern times, the use of the word "breast" to refer to the female mammary gland has led to some controversy and debate around the use of the term. Some argue that the word "breast" has been overly sexualized or objectified, while others argue that it is a neutral and accurate term for the female anatomy.

Vocabulary summary breast

typenoun

meaningchest

meaningbreast

meaning(figurative) heart, mood, emotion

exampleto have a troubled breast

typetransitive verb

meaningto use one's chest to support (something); to resist

Example of vocabulary breastpart of body

meaning

either of the two round soft parts at the front of a woman’s body that produce milk when she has had a baby

  • She put the baby to her breast.
  • breast cancer
  • The protective benefits of breast milk are numerous for both mother and baby.
  • She had breast-augmentation surgery.
  • Getting breast implants entails major surgery.
meaning

the similar, smaller part on a man’s body, which does not produce milk

meaning

the top part of the front of your body, below your neck

  • He cradled the child against his breast.

Example of vocabulary breastclothing

meaning

the part of a piece of clothing that covers your chest

  • A row of medals was pinned to the breast of his coat.

Example of vocabulary breastof bird

meaning

the front part of a bird’s body

  • breast feathers
  • The robin has a red breast.
  • a robin with a red breast

Example of vocabulary breastmeat

meaning

meat from the front part of the body of a bird or an animal

  • chicken/turkey breasts
  • breast of lamb

Example of vocabulary breast-breasted

meaning

having the type of chest or breasts mentioned

  • a small-breasted/full-breasted woman
  • bare-breasted
  • the yellow-breasted male of the species

Example of vocabulary breastheart

meaning

the part of the body where the feelings and emotions are thought to be

  • a troubled breast

Idioms of vocabulary breast

beat your breast
to show that you feel sorry about something that you have done, especially in public and in an exaggerated way
    make a clean breast of something
    to tell the truth about something so that you no longer feel guilty
    • He made a clean breast of everything and admitted taking the money.

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