Naming Muscles

Language The names of muscles are in Latin rather than in English. By using descriptive words in combinations of two or three, anatomists have named all the muscles of the human body.

Shape Muscles can be named for their shapes. Examples: Platy – flat Rhomboidus – diamond shaped Trapezius – trapezoid shaped Deltoid – triangular shaped

Size Muscles can be named for their size. Examples: Magnus – large Maximus – largest Medius – medium sized Brevis - short

Direction of fibers Muscles can be named according to the direction of the muscle fibers. Examples: oblique – diagonal Rectus – erect or up and down Transverse – across or left to right

Function Muscles can be named for their function. Examples: Extensor – extends Adductor – adducts a limb Depressor – lowers a body part

Location Muscles can be named for the region in which they are found. Examples: Brachialis – arm Femoris – femur bone Oculi – eye Radialis - radius

Relative position Muscles can be named according to what their position is relative to a body part such as bone or a region. Examples: Tibialis anterior – anterior to the tibia bone External intercostalis – muscles that are superficial to the areas between the ribs