
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Biceps
Introduction
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A biceps is a muscle from either of two muscle pairs (right and left) in the body. Biceps is the Latin adjective meaning two-headed. These muscles are so-called because each has two insertions at its upper end.
- In general usage, the biceps is the biceps brachii, the prominent muscle on the inside of each upper arm, popularly associated with bodily strength because it can be flexed very visibly.
- Less commonly, the biceps is the biceps femoris, one of the hamstring muscles of the underside of each thigh.
Usage note
Biceps is the singular. The muscle is often mistakenly called a bicep.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
