Synonyms for muscles

Grammar : Noun

Spell : muhs-uhl

Phonetic Transcription : ˈmʌs əl

Top 10 synonyms for muscles

Other synonyms for the word muscles

Définition of muscles

Origin : late 14c., from Middle French muscle "muscle, sinew" (14c.) and directly from Latin musculus "a muscle," literally "little mouse," diminutive of mus "mouse" (see mouse (n.)).
So called because the shape and movement of some muscles (notably biceps) were thought to resemble mice. The analogy was made in Greek, too, where mys is both "mouse" and "muscle," and its comb. form gives the medical prefix myo-. Cf. also Old Church Slavonic mysi "mouse," mysica "arm;" German Maus "mouse; muscle," Arabic 'adalah "muscle," 'adal "field mouse." In Middle English, lacerte, from the Latin word for "lizard," also was used as a word for a muscle.
Musclez & lacertez bene one selfe þing, Bot þe muscle is said to þe fourme of mouse & lacert to þe fourme of a lizard. [Guy de Chauliac, "Grande Chirurgie," c.1425]
Hence muscular and mousy are relatives, and a Middle English word for "muscular" was lacertous, "lizardy." Figurative sense of "force, violence, threat of violence" is 1930, American English. Muscle car "hot rod" is from 1969.

noun large fibers of animal body
noun power, influence

Example sentences :

If you grow up and have muscles like them, you can call yourself a man.
Extract from : « Way of the Lawless » by Max Brand

Under the strain of his muscles, iron bars bent like hot wax.
Extract from : « Way of the Lawless » by Max Brand

Her throat was bare, and she saw the muscles of it knotted in the struggle for life.
Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald

Lauzanne knew what had come to him of genealogy, not in his mind so much as in his muscles.
Extract from : « Thoroughbreds » by W. A. Fraser

You know his drawl, when his muscles give him the respectful hesitation.
Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson

They praised his eyes' alertness, the smoothness of his muscles.
Extract from : « Buried Cities, Part 2 » by Jennie Hall

She was a wiry woman, a mass of muscles animated by an eager energy.
Extract from : « Tiverton Tales » by Alice Brown

Taffy was not used to such toil, and his muscles were soon weary.
Extract from : « Welsh Fairy Tales » by William Elliott Griffis

He relies on his muscles and not on his charms, for support.
Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 12, June 18, 1870 » by Various

Stanley's jaw dropped, but it was surprise which slackened the muscles.
Extract from : « Good Indian » by B. M. Bower

Antonyms for muscles

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019