Wiktionary
n. A large, somewhat misshapen chest; sometimes associated with emphysema
Wikipedia
Barrel chest generally refers to a broad, deep chest found on a man. A man described as barrel chested will usually have a naturally large ribcage, very round torso, large lung capacity, and can potentially have great upper body strength. It can sometimes be a sign of acromegaly (a syndrome resulting from excess levels of human growth hormone (HGH) in the body). It is most commonly related to osteoarthritis as individuals age. Arthritis can stiffen the chest causing the ribs to become fixed in their most expanded position, giving the appearance of a barrel chest.
Barrel chest also refers to an increase in the anterior posterior diameter of the chest wall resembling the shape of a barrel, most often associated with emphysema. There are two main causes of the barrel chest phenomenon in emphysema:
- Increased compliance of the lungs leads to the accumulation of air pockets inside the thoracic cavity.
- Increased compliance of the lungs increases the intrathoracic pressure. This increase in pressure allows the chest wall to naturally expand outward.
Usage examples of "barrel chest".
Ser Axell was short and muscular, with a barrel chest, thick arms, bandy legs, and hair growing from his ears.
His beard was glossy brown streaked with gray, forked and held by more rings of gold where it trailed down on his barrel chest.
One was huge, heavy-bodied, scarred and hairy, swag belly above pillar legs, barrel chest and bear-thick arms above.
It was frozen in its half-open position, but there was just room for his barrel chest.
Next to be seen were the small, squinting eyes behind the little steel-rimmed spectacles, and finally the square head, the broad mustache, and the huge barrel chest, the last of which had been built up, after endurÂ.
The soldier was shorter than Giernas by five inches, but he was built like a bull, barrel chest and thick, knotted shoulders and arms.
More often the whole figure would not be interesting, only a specially knotted shoulder, the shape of a skull, an iron-corded calf, a barrel chest, and then he would spend the entire day drawing only that one segment seen from a dozen angles and in differing postures.
He has short legs and a barrel chest, and a gray ponytail that he says he hasn’.