Words that refer to Muscle Size:

Brevis: shortest (peroneus or fibularis brevis is the shortest of the peroneal muscles)
Longus: longest (peroneus or fibularis longus is the longest of the peroneal muscles

Maximus: largest (gluteus maximus is the largest muscles of the buttock)

Minimus: smallest (gluteus minimus is the smallest muscles of the buttock)

Major: larger (pectoralis major is the larger muscle of the chest)

Minor: smaller (pectoralis minor is the smaller muscle of the chest)

Medius: intermediate in size, do not confuse with medialis

(gluteus medius is the intermediate sized muscles of the three buttocks)

Vastus: great or huge (used for two muscles of the thigh: vastus lateralis and medialis)
Words that refer to Muscles Shape:
Deltoid: triangular (e.g. deltoid muscle of the shoulder)
Platysma: flat (e.g. platysma muscles of the neck)
Quadratus: square or four-sided (e.g. quadratus lumborum or quadratus femoris)
Rhomboid: diamond shaped (e.g. rhomboideus minor and major muscles,
collectively the rhomboids)
Serratus: serrated or saw-toothed (e.g. serratus anterior)
Teres: round or cylindrical shaped (e.g. pronator teres)
Trapezius: trapezoidal shaped (e.g. trapezius muscle)
Words that refer to Body Parts or Regions (Location)
1. Abdominis: abdomen (rectus abdominus)
2. Brachii: arm (biceps brachii)
3. Capitis: head (splenius capitis)
4. Carpus: wrist (flexor carpi radialis and ulnaris)
5. Cervicis: neck (semispinalis cervicis)
6. Costals: ribs (intercostals or internal intercostal muscles meaning muscles
between the ribs)
7. Digiti: finger or toe, singular (extensor digiti minimi)
8. Digitorum: finger or toes, plural (flexor digitorum profundus)
9. Femoris: thigh (rectus femoris)
10. Gluteus: gluteal or buttock region (three muscles, gluteus maximum, minimum
and medius)
11. Hallucis: great or big toe (abductor hallucis)
12. Indicis: index finger (extensor indicis)
13. Labii: lips (levator labii superioris)
 14. Lumborum: lower back or lumbar (quadratus lumborum)
15. Oculi: eye (orbicularis oculi)
16. Oris: mouth (depressor anguli oris)
17. Palmaris: palm of the hand: (e.g. palmaris longus)
18. Pectoral: chest (two muscles, pectoralis major and minor)
19. Peroneus: fibula, sometimes fibularis is used (peroneus longus)
20. Pollicis: thumb (adductor and opponens pollicis)
21. Scapularis: scapula or shoulder blade (e.g. levator scapulae)
22. Spina, Spinalis: spine (erector spinae, spinalis cervicis and capitis)
23. Spinatus: spine of the scapula (infraspinatus and supraspinatus)
24. Tibialis: lower leg or shin bone (tibia) (tibialis anterior and posterior)
25. Thoracis: thorax (spinalis thoracis)
Words that refer to Relative Location
1. Anterior: toward the front or anterior surface (tibialis anterior or serratus anterior)
2. Dorsi: of the back (latissimus dorsi)
3. Inferior: underneath or away from the surface (Obliquus capitis inferior)
4. Infra: below or beneath (infraspinatus)
5. Inter: between (intercostals)
6. Internal: inner (internal oblique)
7. Lateralis: located to the side or laterally (vastus lateralis)
8. Medialis: located toward the middle or midline (vastus medialis)
9. Posterior: toward the rear or posterior surface (tibialis posterior)
10.Profundus: located deep (flexor digitorum profundus)
11.Sub: below or under (subscapularis)
12.Superior or Superficialis: superficial or toward the surface (flexor digitorum
superficialis and obliquus capitis superior)
13.Supra: above or over (supraspinatus)
Words that refer to Muscle Fiber Direction
1. Oblique: slanted or diagonal to the midline (external oblique)
2. Orbicularis & Sphincter: a name given to ringlike muscles that encircle and orifice
and that may form a conducting passage (lower esophageal sphincter and
orbicularis oris and anal sphincter)
3. Rectus: straight, or "erect", specifically meaning parallel to the midline (rectus
femoris meaning "straight muscle of the thigh")
4. Transversus: transverse or perpendicular to the midline (transversus abdominis or
transverse abdominis)
Words that refer of Origins or Heads
The suffix "ceps" means heads. A head is a major division of a muscles that has its own
tendon.
1. Biceps: two heads (biceps brachii whech means "two headed muscle of arm" and
biceps femoris which means "two headed muscle of the thigh)
2. Triceps: three heads (triceps brachii which means "three headed muscle of arm")
 3. Quadriceps: four heads (quadriceps femoris which means "four headed muscle of
the thigh", commonly called the quadriceps). Technically the "quadriceps" are
different muscles, however, not one muscle with multiple origins
Words that refer to Actions
1. Abductor: abducts or moves a part away from the midline
2. Adductor: adducts or moves a part toward the midline
3. Depressor: depresses a structure or part (depressor anguli oris)
4. Extensor: extends joint or bring two ends further apart, increase joint angle (extensor carpi
radialus)
5. Flexor: flexes joint, or brings two ends closer together, decreases joint angle (flexor carpi
radialus)
6. Levator: elevates a structure or part (levator scapulae)
7. Opponens: refers to thumb actions only and named for the action of opposition, which is
when the tip of the thumb is brought into contact with other fingers (opponens pollicis)
8. Pronator: pronates or turns the hand or forearm downward or backward (pronator
quadratus and pronator teres muscle)
9. Rotator: rotates one structure relative to another (rotatores spinae)
10.Supinator: supinates or turns the hand or forearm upward or forward (supinator muscle)

Some special action words used for certain muscles:

Sartorious muscle: derived from the muscles activity when crossing the legs and named
after the Latin word for tailer, sartor. Tailors used to sit on the floor cross-legged to do their
work, before sewing machines were invented. Other explanations are also put forth, such
as the cross-legged pedaling action of old sewing machines, which enlarged the muscle in
tailors, and the muscles location along the "inseam".
Buccinator: derived from the muscles action in compressing the cheeks, which occurs
when pursing the lips and blowing forcefully, as when playing the trumpet. The word
buccinator means "trumpet player" so the buccinator is the "trumpet player muscle".
Risorious: derived from this facial muscle's action in producing the facial expression
associated with laughter, which is risor in Latin. The actual expression of the muscle is
more appropriately described as a grimace.
Masseter: derived from the muscles major action in chewing, coming from the Greek
masstr, meaning "a chewer".

Words that refer to Origins and Insertions

Sternocleidomastoid: sterno and cleido for its origin, the sternum and clavicle; and
mastoid for its insertion, the mastoid process.
Brachioradialis: brachio for its origin on the upper arms and radialis for its insertion on the
radius of the forearm.
Genioglossus: genio for its origin on the chin or "geneion" and glossus for its intsertion on
the tongue (glossus).
Sternohyoid: sterno for its origin on the sternum and hyoid for its insertion at the hyoid
bone.
Coracobrachialis: coraco for its origin on the corocoid process of the scapul and brachialis
for its insertion on the humerus of the upper arm.