Muscle: meaning, definitions and examples

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muscle

[ ˈmʌsəl ]

^{Context #1}

human anatomy

A muscle is a band or bundle of fibrous tissue in a human or animal body that has the ability to contract, producing movement in or maintaining the position of parts of the body.

Synonyms

flesh, sinew, tissue

Examples of usage

She flexed her muscles before the competition.
Regular exercise helps to strengthen your muscles.
He pulled a muscle while lifting weights.

^{Context #2}

informal

To muscle is to move (an object) by using physical strength or force.

Synonyms

force, push, shove

Examples of usage

He muscled the heavy box onto the shelf.
She muscled her way through the crowd.

Translations

Translations of the word "muscle" in other languages:

🇵🇹 músculo

🇮🇳 मांसपेशी

🇩🇪 Muskel

🇮🇩 otot

🇺🇦 м'яз

🇵🇱 mięsień

🇯🇵 筋肉 (きんにく)

🇫🇷 muscle

🇪🇸 músculo

🇹🇷 kas

🇰🇷 근육

🇸🇦 عضلة

🇨🇿 sval

🇸🇰 sval

🇨🇳 肌肉 (jīròu)

🇸🇮 mišica

🇮🇸 vöðvi

🇰🇿 бұлшықет

🇬🇪 კუნთი

🇦🇿 əzələ

🇲🇽 músculo

Word origin

The word 'muscle' originates from the Latin word 'musculus', meaning 'little mouse', which refers to the appearance of muscles contracting under the skin. The term has been used in English since the 14th century to describe the physical strength and power of the human body.