Phrase guide

muscle memory

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌmʌsl̩ ˈmɛm(ə)ɹi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈmʌs(ə)l ˈmɛmɚi/
  • General-American: /-ˈmɛmɹi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛməɹi
  • rhymes with -ɛmɹi

1

noun

Meaning 1

The ability to reproduce a particular movement using subconscious neuromuscular control which is acquired as a result of the physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of the movement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, physiology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The ability to regain lost muscle size and strength much faster than initially building it, due to retained muscle nuclei.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: bodybuilding, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

your memory for motor skills

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: motor memory

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: long-term memory, LTM

History

Etymology

PIE word *múHs From muscle + memory. First attested in 1892.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: ذَاكِرَة عَضَلِيَّة — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Azerbaijani: əzələ yaddaşı — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Chinese Mandarin: 肌肉記憶 /肌肉记忆 (jīròu jìyì) — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Dutch: spiergeheugen — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Finnish: lihasmuisti — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • French: mémoire musculaire — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • German: Muskelgedächtnis — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Hindi: मांसपेशीय स्मृति (mānspeśīya smŕti) — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Korean: 근육 기억 (geunyuk gieok) — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Persian: حافظه عضله — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Persian: حافظه عضلانی — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Polish: pamięć ciała — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Polish: pamięć mięśniowa — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Polish: pamięć ruchowa — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Portuguese: memória muscular — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Russian: мышечная память (myšečnaja pamjatʹ) — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Spanish: memoria muscular — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Swedish: muskelminne — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Turkish: kas hafızası — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again
  • Vietnamese: trí nhớ cơ bắp — physiological adaptation of the body to repetition of a specific physical activity, resulting in increased subconscious neuromuscular control when performing that activity again