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