The Why of Words
#21: Muscle β Romans Saw a Little Mouse Under Your Skin
May 04, 2026
Season 1
Episode 21
Explore the surprising etymology of the word "muscle"βit doesn't come from Latin words meaning strength or power as you'd expect. Instead, the Romans named muscles after something tiny and squirming: the word musculus literally means "mouse" because a flexing bicep resembled a small rodent.
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