MUSCLE NAMES

Selected major muscle names pronounced and translated

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Muscle name
Abductor digiti minimi Abductor hallucis Abductor pollicis brevis Adductor brevis Adductor longus Adductor magnus Adductor pollicis Biceps brachii Biceps femoris Brachialis Brachioradialis Buccinator Bulbospongiosus Coracobrachialis Corrugator supercilii Deltoid Diaphragm Erector spinae Extensor carpi radialis brevis

Pronunciation
ab-DUK-ter DIJ-ih-tye MIN-ih-mye ab-DUK-ter HAL-oos-is (or HAL-uh-kiss) ab-DUK-ter POL-ih-sis(or POL-ih-kiss) BREV-is ad-DUK-ter BREV-is ad-DUK-ter LONG-us ad-DUK-ter MAG-nus ad-DUK-ter POL-ih-sis (or POL-ih-kiss) BYE-seps BRAY-kee-eye BYE-seps FEM-uh-ris BRAY-kee-al-is BRAY-kee-oh-ray-dee-AL-is BUK-sih-NAY-tor bul-boh-spun-jee-OH-ses KOR-uh-ko-BRAY-kee-al-is KOR-uh-gay-tor soo-per-SIL-ee-eye DEL-toyd DYE-ah-fram eh-REK-tor SPINE-ee ek-STEN-ser KAR-pye ray-dee-AL-is BREV-is ek-STEN-ser KAR-pye ray-dee-AL-is LONG-us ek-STEN-ser KAR-pye ul-NAIR-is ek-STEN-ser dij-i-TOH-rum ek-STEN-ser dij-i-TOH-rum LONG-gus eks-TER-nal in-ter-KOS-tal eks-TER-nal oh-BLEEK

Translation of name
Small finger bringer-in [muscle] Big-toe bringer-in [muscle] Short bringer-in muscle of thumb Short bringer-in [muscle] Long bringer-in [muscle] Great bringer-in [muscle] Bringer-in muscle of thumb Two-headed arm [muscle] Two-headed thigh [muscle] Arm [muscle] Arm and radius [muscle] Trumpeter Spongy bulb (base of penis) Coracoid process arm [muscle] Wrinkler above eyelashes Triangle-like Across-enclosure Spine straightener Short wrist stretcher at radius

Extensor carpi radialis longus Extensor carpi ulnaris Extensor digitorum Extensor digitorum longus External intercostal External oblique

Long wrist stretcher at radius

Wrist stretcher at ulna Finger stretcher Toe stretcher Outer [muscle] between ribs Outer slanted [muscle]

Flexor carpi radialis Flexor carpi ulnaris Flexor digiti minimi brevis Flexor digitorum brevis Flexor digitorum profundus Flexor digitorum superficialis Flexor hallucis brevis Flexor pollicis brevis Gastrocnemius Gluteus maximus Gluteus medius Gluteus minimus Gracilis Iliacus Iliocostalis Iliopsoas Infraspinatus Internal intercostal Internal oblique Interosseous Interspinales Ischiocavernosus Latissimus dorsi Levator ani Levator scapulae Longissimus Longissimus capitis Lumbrical Masseter

FLEK-ser KAR-pye ray-dee-AL-is FLEK-ser KAR-pye ul-NAIR-is FLEK-ser DIJ-ih-tye MIN-ih-mye BREV-is FLEK-ser dij-i-TOH-rum BREV-is FLEK-ser dij-i-TOH-rum pro-FUN-dis FLEK-ser dij-i-TOH-rum soo-per-fish-ee-AL-is FLEK-ser HAL-oos-is (or HAL-uh-kiss) BREV-is FLEK-ser POL-ih-sis (or POL-ih-kiss) BREV-is GAS-trok-NEE-mee-us GLOO-tee-us MAK-sim-us GLOO-tee-us MEE-dee-us GLOO-tee-us MIN-ih-mus GRASS-ih-lis ih-LYE-ah-kus ILL-ee-oh-KOS-tal-is ILL-ee-oh-SOH-is IN-frah-spy-nah-tus in-TER-nal in-ter-KOS-tal in-TER-nal oh-BLEEK in-ter-OSS-ee-us in-ter-spy-NAH-leez is-kee-oh-KAV-er-no-sus lat-ISS-im-is DOR-sye leh-VAY-tor A-nye leh-VAY-tor SCAP-yoo-lee lon-JIS-i-mus lon-JIS-i-mus KAP-i-tis LUM-bri-kal mah-SEE-ter

Wrist bender at radius Wrist bender at ulna

Small, short finger bender

Short toe bender Deep finger bender Superficial finger bender Short big-toe bender Short thumb bender Belly of leg Large butt [muscle] Medium butt [muscle] Small butt [muscle] Slender [muscle] Illium of pelvic bone [muscle] [Pelvic] ilium to rib [muscle] Iliacus and psoas [muscles] Below the spine Inner [muscle] between the ribs Inner slanted [muscle] Between bones Between spines [Pelvic] ischium to the crus (cross) of the peniss cavernosum Very wide back [muscle] Anus lifter Scapula lifter Very long (longest) Longest head [muscle] Wormlike Chewer

Multifidus Occipitofrontalis Opponens digiti minimi Opponens pollicis Orbicularis oculi Orbicularis oris Palmaris longus Pectoralis major Pectoralis minor Perineal Peroneus brevis (fibularis brevis) Peroneus longus (fibularis longus) Peroneus tertius (fibularis tertius) Pronator quadratus Pronator teres Psoas major Psoas minor Pterygoid Quadratus lumborum Quadriceps femoris Rectus abdominis Rectus femoris Rhomboid major Rhomboid minor Rotatores Sartorius Semimembranosus Semispinalis Semispinalis capitis Semitendinosus

mul-TIF-i-dus ok-sip-i-toh-fron-TAL-is oh-POH-nenz DIJ-ih-tye MIN-ih-mye oh-POH-nenz POL-i-sis (or POL-i-kiss) or-bik-yoo-LAIR-is OK-yoo-lye or-bik-yoo-LAR-is OR-is PAL-mar-is LONG-us pek-toh-RAL-is MA-jer pek-toh-RAL-is MYE-ner pair-in-EE-al per-oh-NEE-us BREV-is (fib-yoo-LAIR-is BREV-is) per-oh-NEE-us LONG-us (fib-yoo-LAIR-is LONG-us) per-oh-NEE-us TER-shee-us (fib-yoo-LAIR-is TER-shee-us) PRO-nay-ter kwah-DRAT-is PRO-nay-ter TAIR-eez SO-is MAY-jer SO-is MYE-ner TER-i-goid kwah-DRAT-is lum-BOR-um KWAH-drih-seps FEM-uh-ris (or fem-OR-is) REK-tus ab-DOM-i-nis REK-tus FEM-uh-ris (or fem-OR-is) ROM-boyd MA-jer ROM-boyd MYE-ner roh-tah-TOR-eez sar-TOR-ee-us sem-ee-mem-brah-NO-sis sem-ee-spy-NAY-lis sem-ee-spy-NAY-lis KAP-i-tis sem-ee-ten-din-OH-sis

Split into many parts Back and front of head Small finger opposer Thumb opposer Little circle [around] eye Little circle [around] mouth Long palm [muscle] Greater chest [muscle] Lesser chest [muscle] [Muscle] around the excretion [openings] Short boot [muscle]

Long boot [muscle]

Third boot [muscle] Four-sided pronator Rounded pronator Greater lumbar [muscle] Lesser lumbar [muscle] Winglike Four-sided lumbar [muscle] Four-headed thigh [muscle] Straight belly [muscle] Straight thigh [muscle] Greater rhombus (equilateral parallelogram) Lesser rhombus (equilateral parallelogram) Turner [muscles] Tailor [muscle] Half membrane [muscle] Half spine [muscle] Half spine [muscle] of the head Half tendon [muscle]

Serratus anterior Soleus Sphincter ani externus Spinalis Splenius Splenius capitis Sternocleidomastoid Subscapularis Supinator Supraspinatus Temporalis Tensor fasciae latae Teres major Teres minor Tibialis anterior Transversospinalis Transversus abdominis Trapezius Triceps brachii Urethral sphincter Vastus intermedius Vastus lateralis Vastus medialis Zygomaticus major

ser-RAY-tus an-TEER-ee-or SOH-lee-us SFINGK-ter A-nye eks-TER-nus spy-NAY-lis SPLEH-nee-us SPLEH-nee-us KAP-i-tis STERN-oh-KLYE-doh-MAS-toyd sub-SKAP-yoo-lar-is SOO-pin-ayt-er SOO-prah-spy-nah-tus tem-poh-RAL-is TEN-sor FASH-ee (or FASH-ee-ay) LAT-tee TER-eez MA-jer TER-eez MYE-ner tib-ee-AL-is an-TEER-ee-or tranz-VERS-o-spy-NAY-lis tranz-VERS-us ab-DAH-min-us trah-PEE-zee-us TRY-seps BRAY-kee-eye yoo-REE-thral SFINGK-ter VAS-tus in-terMEE-dee-us VAS-tus lat-er-AL-is VAS-tus mee-dee-AL-is zye-goh-MAT-ik-us MA-jer

Front saw-tooth [muscle] Sole (of foot) [muscle] Outer anus tightener Spine [muscle] Patch Head patch Sternum-clavicle-mastoid process Under the scapula [muscle] Supinator [muscle] Above spine [muscle] Temple (of head) [muscle] Puller of side bundle Greater rounded [muscle] Lesser rounded [muscle] Front shinbone [muscle] Transverse [vertebral] spine [muscle] Belly-crossing [muscle] Table-shaped [muscle] Three-headed arm [muscle] Urethra tightener Vast (enormous) in-between [muscle] Vast (enormous) on-the-side [muscle] Vast (enormous) toward-the-middle [muscle] Greater [muscle] of zygomatic [bone]

NOTES: 1. Muscle names are arranged alphabetically, not by location, structure, or function. 2. In Latin, modifiers follow the terms they describe. Thus, flexor digitorum can be translated in exact parallel as bender of finger but is best rendered as finger bender. 3. Literal translations of muscle names may be helpful in locating them or remembering their shape or function.
However, they are not necessarily accurate or complete descriptions of the muscle.

4. Some alternate pronunciations are given here but many other pronunciations are possible.

Kevin Patton at lionden.com

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Some material adapted by permission from Anatomy & Physiology by Patton & Thibodeau (Mosby/Elsevier)