noun · 2 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
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UK:/ˈsɑː.kəʊˌmɪə/
UK:/ˈsɑː.kəˌmɪə/
US:/ˈsɑɹ.koʊˌmɪɹ/
US:/ˈsɑɹ.kəˌmɪɹ/
1
noun
Meaning 1
The contractile unit of the myofibril of a striated muscle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
1997, Kenneth Axen, Kathleen Vermitsky Axen, The Princeton Review Physiology Coloring Workbook, Princeton Review Publishing, Random House, page 51, The sarcomere determines the amount of overlap between the actin and myosin filaments and thus, the number of cross-bridges that participate in a given contraction. Since each cross bridge contributes to the contraction, sarcomeres generate their maximal force when their contraction employs the maximal number of cross-bridges between the actin and myosin filaments.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
one of the segments into which a myofibril is divided
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: segment
History
Etymology
From sarco- (“flesh”) + -mere (“component”), from Ancient Greek σάρξ (sárx) and μέρος (méros).
Across languages
Translations
17 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
肌小節 /肌小节
(jīxiǎojié)
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Chinese Mandarin:
肌節 /肌节
(jījié)
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Finnish:
sarkomeeri
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
French:
sarcomère
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
German:
Sarkomer
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Icelandic:
vöðvaliður
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Icelandic:
vöðvadeild
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Italian:
sarcomero
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Northern Kurdish:
sarkomer
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Northern Kurdish:
parçemasûlke
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Norwegian:
sarkomer
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Portuguese:
sarcómero
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Portuguese:
sarcômero
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Russian:
саркомер
(sarkomer)
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Spanish:
sarcómero
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Swedish:
sarkomer
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
Turkish:
sarkomer
— contractile unit of myofibril in striated muscle
