Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of muscle tissue: Skeletal muscle is a voluntary muscle that is typically attached to one or more bones by tendons. Its primary function is to produce movement of the skeleton. It is characterized by a striped or striated appearance under a microscope due to the arrangement of its contractile proteins.

Usage

• Skeletal muscle is under conscious control, meaning you decide to contract it (e.g., to walk, talk, or lift an object).
• It is often contrasted with smooth muscle (involuntary, found in organs) and cardiac muscle (involuntary, found only in the heart).
• The term describes the tissue type itself, not a specific named muscle (e.g., biceps).

Examples

• Noun:
  • Weight training helps to build and strengthen skeletal muscle.
  • The biceps brachii is an example of a skeletal muscle.
  • Under the microscope, the skeletal muscle showed distinct transverse stripes.

Advanced Usage

• "Skeletal muscle mass": Refers to the total amount of skeletal muscle tissue in the body.
  • Athletes typically have a higher skeletal muscle mass than non-athletes.
• "Skeletal muscle fiber": Refers to an individual, elongated cell that makes up skeletal muscle tissue.
  • There are different types of skeletal muscle fibers, some specialized for endurance and others for power.

Variants and Related Words

• Striated muscle (noun): A direct synonym for skeletal muscle, referring to its microscopic striped appearance. Cardiac muscle is also striated but is not voluntary.
• Voluntary muscle (noun): Another synonym emphasizing that its contraction is consciously controlled.
• Musculus (noun): The Latin-derived formal term often used in anatomical names (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Striated muscle
• Voluntary muscle

Related Phrases

• Skeletal muscle contraction: The process by which skeletal muscle generates force and shortens.
  • The signal for skeletal muscle contraction originates in the brain.
• Skeletal muscle system: Refers to all the skeletal muscles of the body collectively as an organ system.
  • The skeletal muscle system works with the skeletal system to enable movement.

Noun

1. a muscle that is connected at either or both ends to a bone and so move parts of the skeleton; a muscle that is characterized by transverse stripes