muscle English · revision 127
5 Oct 2026, 22:00 by bogdan “Add pronunciation, sense history, timeline, meanings, word family, related words” current version
Changes in this edit
@@ -1,6 +1,45 @@
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /ˈmʌs.əl/^(Wiktionary)
+
==Etymology==
Recorded from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) [[bor|la|mūsculus|t=muscle, literally little mouse]],^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) partly via [[frm|muscle]],^(Wiktionary) diminutive of [[la|mūs|t=mouse]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989) Some muscles were thought to resemble a mouse in shape;^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) Greek likewise used ''mys'' for both “mouse” and “muscle”.^(Etymonline)
− Doublet of [[mussel]].^(Wiktionary)
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ “A muscle of the body”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In Middle English ''lacerte'', from the Latin word for “lizard”, was also used for a muscle.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ The figurative sense “strength, brawn” is recorded by 1850,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and “force, violence, threat of violence” from 1930, in American English.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The verb (1913) came to mean “to coerce by force” by 1929, in American underworld slang.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * late 14th century – “a muscle of the body”.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1533 – the OED's first quotation.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1850 – “muscular strength”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+ * 1913 – verb, “to move by strength”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+ * 1929 – verb, “to coerce by violence or pressure”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+ * 1930 – “force, violence, intimidation”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # Body tissue that contracts to produce movement, or an organ made of it.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Physical strength.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Power or influence, especially of a coercive kind.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(slang)'' Hired thugs or bodyguards.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ===Verb===
+ # To move, or force one's way, by strength.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[muscly]]
+ * [[muscleless]]
+ * [[musclebound]]
+ * [[muscled]]
+ * [[muscleman]]
+ * [[muscular]]
+ * [[musculature]]
+ * [[outmuscle]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[mouse]]
+ * [[mussel]]
==References==