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Glite Dictionary
splenius muscle

splenius muscle

9.1
One of two flat muscles at the back of the neck that helps turn and move the head
  • noun
  • /ˈsplɛniəs ˈmʌsəl/
  • Specialized
: músculo esplenio
  • The splenius muscle helps you turn your head from side to side.

Examples

  • Physical therapy exercises can strengthen the splenius muscle and improve posture.

  • You can strain your splenius muscles if you twist your neck too quickly.

  • Injury to the splenius muscle can cause neck pain and limited movement.

  • The splenius muscle helps in neck rotation.

  • Injury to the splenius muscle can cause neck pain and limited movement.

  • Physical therapy exercises can strengthen the splenius muscle and improve posture.

  • The splenius muscle helps you turn your head from side to side.

Synonyms

splenius
vssplenius muscle
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A flat neck muscle that helps turn and lift the head

is the fuller form that includes the word muscle

Surface Forms

splenius muscle singular
splenius muscles plural

Morphology

splenius + muscle

The compound is directly compositional: 'splenius' names a specific neck muscle and 'muscle' is the general category, so together they denote that particular muscle. Although 'splenius' is a technical/Latin-derived term and may be rare, if a learner already knows both constituent meanings the combined sense is predictable and non-idiomatic.

Etymology

Splenius muscle may come from an old word for a 'band' because this flat muscle lies like a ribbon across the back of the neck. Picture a band holding and turning the head, and that image helps explain why the muscle's job is to 'turn' and 'lift' the head.