The word "muscular" is spelled /ˈmʌskjʊlər/. The phonetic transcription reveals that the first syllable is pronounced with a short "u" sound, followed by the voiceless "sk" consonant cluster. The second syllable is pronounced with a long "u" sound, followed by the voiced "l" consonant. The "-ar" ending is pronounced with a schwa sound. This spelling reflects the word's Latin roots, where "musculus" means "little mouse," and "muscularis" means "pertaining to muscles." The spelling thus highlights the connection between the word's meaning and its linguistic roots.
The term "muscular" is primarily an adjective used to describe something related to or characterized by muscles. It typically refers to the physical strength, power, or development of muscles in humans or animals. When applied to the human body, it often indicates a well-built physique or a significant amount of muscle mass.
In the context of anatomy, the term can also pertain to the muscles themselves. Muscular tissues are responsible for generating force and enabling movement in the body. These tissues consist of muscle fibers, which contract and relax to produce the necessary mechanical work.
The adjective "muscular" can also be applied metaphorically to describe non-physical attributes or characteristics that resemble the strength, vigor, or robustness associated with well-developed muscles. For example, one might refer to a muscular performance, which signifies an impressive, forceful, or dynamic rendition of an activity or a work of art.
In sports, the term "muscular" is frequently used to describe athletes who excel in disciplines requiring strength or power. It is often associated with sports like weightlifting, bodybuilding, or wrestling, where the competitors showcase their well-developed musculature.
Overall, "muscular" generally denotes strength, power, or relating to muscles in various contexts, either referring to the physical structure, functional abilities, or metaphoric representations related to muscles.
Relating to a muscle or the muscles.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Full of muscles; performed by or dependent on muscles; strong; brawny; vigorous.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "muscular" can be traced back to the Latin word "musculus", which means "muscle". This Latin word is a diminutive form of "mus", which means "mouse" in Latin. This connection to mice is because the Romans saw a similarity between the shape of a flexed muscle and a small mouse. Over time, the word "musculus" evolved to "muscle" in English and took on the meaning of strength or power related to the muscular system. The adjective form of "muscle" is "muscular", which has been in use since the 17th century.