bicep: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumInformal to neutral; technical in anatomical contexts.
Quick answer
What does “bicep” mean?
A muscle in the upper arm that bends the elbow and rotates the forearm.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A muscle in the upper arm that bends the elbow and rotates the forearm.
Often used informally to refer to arm strength or muscular development, or as a synecdoche for the upper arm itself. In casual contexts, sometimes mistakenly used as the singular form of 'biceps'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The singular form 'bicep' is more accepted and used in American English than in British English, where the singular 'biceps' is strongly preferred in formal and anatomical writing.
Connotations
In British English, using 'bicep' might be seen as a minor error or informal. In American English, it is widely used in everyday speech and some informal writing.
Frequency
'Bicep' is significantly more frequent in American English corpora. British corpora show a strong preference for 'biceps' as the singular form.
Grammar
How to Use “bicep” in a Sentence
He strained his [bicep].She has a powerful [bicep].The injury was to the [bicep].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bicep” in a Sentence
verb
American English
- He loves to bicep curl heavy weights.
adjective
American English
- The bicep workout was intense.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts like fitness industry marketing ('target your bicep').
Academic
Rare in formal anatomy; 'biceps' is the correct term.
Everyday
Common in informal conversation about exercise, injury, or strength.
Technical
Used informally in sports medicine and gym contexts, but 'biceps' is the formal anatomical term.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bicep”
- Using 'bicep' in formal or anatomical writing.
- Incorrectly pluralizing 'bicep' to 'bicepses' instead of using 'biceps' for both singular and plural, or 'bicep'/'biceps'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'bicep' is a widely used word, especially in American English, but it is considered informal. The formally correct singular is 'biceps'.
The commonly used plural is 'biceps' (the same as the formal singular). Some may use 'biceps' for both singular and plural, or informally use 'biceps' as plural for 'bicep'.
For academic or anatomical writing, use 'biceps' as the singular noun. Use 'bicep' only in informal contexts.
It's a process called back-formation. Because English nouns often form plurals with 's' (dog/dogs), people mistakenly assume 'biceps' is plural and create a new singular 'bicep'.
A muscle in the upper arm that bends the elbow and rotates the forearm.
Bicep is usually informal to neutral; technical in anatomical contexts. in register.
Bicep: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbaɪ.seps/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbaɪ.sep/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Make a muscle (show your bicep).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'bi' (two) and 'cep' (from Latin for 'head') – the biceps muscle has two heads. 'Bicep' drops the 's', making it one head.
Conceptual Metaphor
STRENGTH IS SIZE (A big bicep means you are strong).
Practice
Quiz
Which statement about the word 'bicep' is most accurate?