trapezius
noun/tɹəˈpiːziəs/
Etymology Unknown but likely derived from Ancient Greek τράπεζα (trápeza).
1
Anatomy, Medicine, Sciences A large vertebrate skeletal muscle divided into an ascending, descending, and transverse portion, attaching the neck and central spine to the outer extremity of the scapula; it functions in scapular elevation, adduction, and depression.
- The trapezius muscle resembles a trapezium (trapezoid in American English), or diamond-shaped quadrilateral. The word "spinotrapezius" refers to the human trapezius, although it is not commonly used in modern texts. In other mammals, it refers to a portion of the analogous muscle.
- Synonyms
- trapezius muscle