Characteristics Used to Name Muscles

A term used to name a muscle that is "slender:"

• Gracilis
• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Minimus/minor

Terms used for lifting or lowering muscles, respectively:

• Levator/depressor
• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Minimus/minor

Terms used for the direction of the muscle fibers – vertical or horizontal, respectively

• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Minimus/minor
• Extensor/flexor/rotator

These terms refer to muscles that have a circular arrangement:

• Orbicularis/sphincter
• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Minimus/minor

This terms means that a muscle takes on the major movement in a muscle group

• Prime mover
• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Minimus/minor

These terms are used to describe “long” muscles vs. a "short" muscle, respectively:

• Longissimus/longus/brevis
• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Minimus/minor

These multiple terms all describe “great/large” muscles:

• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Rectus/Transverse
• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Minimus/minor
• Extensor/flexor/rotator

These two terms describe muscles based on their shapes--triangular and rhombus, respectively:

• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Minimus/minor
• Extensor/flexor/rotator

These two terms describe muscles that are "small" in a group:

• Minimus/minor
• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Deltoid/Rhomboid
• Extensor/flexor/rotator

These terms are used to name muscles based on how they act or function:

• Extensor/flexor/rotator
• Levator/depressor
• Rectus/Transverse
• Maximus/magnus/vastus/major
• Deltoid/Rhomboid