Definition

1. Noun:
   • A muscle that lowers or depresses a body part: In anatomy, a "depressor muscle" is any skeletal muscle whose primary function is to pull a body part downward or depress it. This action is the opposite of that performed by a levator muscle.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The depressor anguli oris is a facial depressor muscle that pulls the corner of the mouth downward.
  • During the examination, the doctor tested the function of the depressor muscle responsible for lowering the eyelid.

Advanced Usage

• Functional Anatomy: In medical terminology, a depressor muscle is often named for the specific structure it depresses (e.g., depressor labii inferioris, depressor septi nasi).
  • The primary action of the depressor labii inferioris is to pull the lower lip down and slightly to the side.

Variants and Related Words

• Depressor (noun): A more general term that can refer to a muscle, a nerve, or an instrument used to press something down.
  • The tongue depressor is a flat instrument used by doctors to press the tongue down during an examination.
• Depression (noun): The act of lowering or moving a body part downward.
• Levator muscle (noun): An antonym; a muscle that raises or elevates a body part.

Synonyms

• Depressor
• Depressing muscle

Antonyms

• Levator muscle
• Elevator muscle

Related Phrases

• Muscle of depression: A synonymous phrase used in anatomical descriptions.
  • The muscle of depression for the scapula is the latissimus dorsi.

Noun

1. any skeletal muscle that draws a body part down