muscle-wasting
|mus-cle-wast-ing|
/ˈmʌsəl ˌweɪstɪŋ/
loss of muscle tissue
Etymology
'muscle-wasting' is a compound word formed from 'muscle' and 'wasting.' 'Muscle' comes from Latin 'musculus,' meaning 'little mouse,' and 'wasting' comes from Old English 'wæstan,' meaning 'to diminish or reduce.'
'Muscle' entered English from Latin via Old French, and 'wasting' developed from Old English 'wæstan.' The compound 'muscle-wasting' emerged in modern medical English to describe the loss of muscle tissue.
Initially, 'wasting' meant 'to diminish or reduce,' and when combined with 'muscle,' it specifically came to mean 'the reduction or loss of muscle tissue.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or condition of losing muscle tissue, often due to disease or lack of use.
Prolonged bed rest can lead to muscle-wasting.
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Adjective 1
describing a condition or process in which muscle tissue is gradually lost or reduced.
Muscle-wasting diseases can severely affect mobility.
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Last updated: 2025/08/06 08:27