chest

A2 Topic:The Human Body

US /t͡ʃɛst/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like chaste /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/

Freq #1813

Meanings

1

noun
The front part of the body between the neck and the stomach.

He felt a sharp pain in his chest and called a doctor.
2

noun
A large, strong box used for storing or carrying things.

The pirates buried a chest full of gold on the island.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the front part of the body... breast

2 noun · a large, strong box used... trunk

Word family

Forms chestedchests

Derived forms arm-chestbookchestchest-beatingchest-bumpchest-highchest-thumpingchestagechestalchestfeedchestfeederchestfulchestguard

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

ammunition chest
a sturdy container used to hold ammunition

Noun + noun

Idioms (2)

See all

Simplified etymology

Chest ultimately comes from Greek kistē, “box or basket.” In late Middle English the word was extended from a container to the rib-enclosed part of the body, understood as a protective box for the heart, lungs, and other organs.

Etymology

From Middle English chest, cheste, cheeste, cheaste, from Old English ċēast, ċēas (“strife, quarrel, quarrelling, contention, murmuring, sedition, scandal; reproof”). Related to Old Frisian kāse (“strife, contention”), Old Saxon caest (“quarrel, dispute”), Old High German kōsa (“speech, story, account”).

chest Middle English ċēast Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

The Human Body

External links

# chest

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /t͡ʃɛst/
**Frequency rank:** 1813

## Meanings
1. The front part of the body between the neck and the stomach.
2. A large, strong box used for storing or carrying things.

## Examples
- He felt a sharp pain in his chest and called a doctor.
- The pirates buried a chest full of gold on the island.

## Derived Forms
- arm-chest
- bookchest
- chest-beating
- chest-bump
- chest-high
- chest-thumping
- chestage
- chestal
- chestfeed
- chestfeeder
- chestful
- chestguard

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: chest
- Root: ċēast

## Etymology
From Middle English chest, cheste, cheeste, cheaste, from Old English ċēast, ċēas (“strife, quarrel, quarrelling, contention, murmuring, sedition, scandal; reproof”). Related to Old Frisian kāse (“strife, contention”), Old Saxon caest (“quarrel, dispute”), Old High German kōsa (“speech, story, account”).

## AI Etymology
chest is a noun and verb. It is from Middle English chest, cheste, cheeste, cheaste, from Old English ċēast, ċēas (“strife, quarrel, quarrelling, contention, murmuring, sedition, scandal; reproof”). Related to Old Frisian kāse (“strife, contention”), Old Saxon caest (“quarrel, dispute”), Old High German kōsa (“speech, story, account”). Historical forms in the chain include chest (Middle English) and ċēast (Old English). Current senses include the front part of the body between the neck and the stomach and a large, strong box used for storing or carrying things. Derived forms include arm-chest, bookchest, chest-beating, chest-bump, and chest-high.

## Topics
- The Human Body

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