entry
muscle
/ˈmʌsəl/Contractile tissue producing movement and physical force
From Latin mūs / mus- (mouse).
from Latin musculus "a muscle," literally "a little mouse," diminutive of mus "mouse" (see mouse (n.)). So called...
+1 more sourcefrom Latin musculus "a muscle," literally "a little mouse," diminutive of mus "mouse" (see mouse (n.)). So called...
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English muscle, muscule, muskylle, and in part
from Middle English muscle, muscule, muskylle, and in part
Word Ancestry
from Latin musculus "a muscle," literally "a little mouse," diminutive of mus "mouse" (see mouse (n.)). So called...
+1 more sourcefrom Latin musculus "a muscle," literally "a little mouse," diminutive of mus "mouse" (see mouse (n.)). So called...
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English muscle, muscule, muskylle, and in part
from Middle English muscle, muscule, muskylle, and in part
A biceps was once imagined as a tiny animal hiding under the skin. Latin speakers called a mouse mūs, then made it smaller with the diminutive suffix and produced musculus—literally “little mouse,” a name inspired by the way certain muscles bulge and move. The same visual joke appeared in ancient Greek, where mys meant both “mouse” and “muscle,” leaving medical English the combining form myo-. This family also scampered into musk: Persian mushk and Sanskrit muska referred to a scent gland thought to resemble a mouse—or, more specifically, a testicle. By about 1850, muscle had flexed beyond anatomy to mean strength, and by 1930 American English had made it a threat: “use some muscle.”
The Story
A biceps was once imagined as a tiny animal hiding under the skin. Latin speakers called a mouse mūs, then made it smaller with the diminutive suffix and produced musculus—literally “little mouse,” a name inspired by the way certain muscles bulge and move. The same visual joke appeared in ancient Greek, where mys meant both “mouse” and “muscle,” leaving medical English the combining form myo-. This family also scampered into musk: Persian mushk and Sanskrit muska referred to a scent gland thought to resemble a mouse—or, more specifically, a testicle. By about 1850, muscle had flexed beyond anatomy to mean strength, and by 1930 American English had made it a threat: “use some muscle.”
Modern Usage
A person hired or used to provide physical protection or intimidation
Notable References
- hired muscle
Kin & Kindred
From 'mūs / mus-'·mouse; little mouse; muscle
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary
Wikipedia
Wiktionary