Meaning & use
bicep
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
The large muscle at the front of the upper arm that bends the elbow.
Grammar: Informal singular of 'biceps'; in careful writing use 'biceps' for both one and two: one biceps, two biceps.
Patterns
- flex your bicep
- a torn bicep
- bicep curl
He flexed his bicep to show off his training.
She pulled a bicep while lifting weights.
The trainer showed me a bicep exercise with light dumbbells.
Word forms
| plural | biceps |
|---|
Common combinations
- bicep curl
- He did three sets of bicep curls at the gym.
- flex your bicep
- The child flexed his bicep and laughed.
- torn bicep
- The athlete missed the season with a torn bicep.
- bicep muscle
- The bicep muscle helps you lift and bend your arm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- biceps
- The standard term; it is already singular and plural, so 'bicep' is best avoided in formal writing.
Word family
Commonly confused: bicep or biceps? bicep or triceps?
bicep vs biceps
'Biceps' is the correct form for one or both muscles; 'bicep' is a common but informal back-formation.
bicep vs triceps
The triceps is at the back of the arm and straightens the elbow, opposite in action to the bicep.
Practice
Which sentence uses the standard form for the arm muscle?
Choose one answer.
'Biceps' is the standard form for one or both muscles. 'Bicep' is informal and not used for both arms, and 'bicepses' is not a real word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bicep”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.