latissimus dorsi

latissimus dorsi
/leuh tis"euh meuhs dawr"suy/, pl. latissimi dorsi /leuh tis"euh muy' dawr"suy/. Anat.
a broad, flat muscle on each side of the midback, the action of which draws the arm backward and downward and rotates the front of the arm toward the body.
[ < NL: lit., the broadest (muscle) of the back]

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▪ muscle
      widest and most powerful muscle of the back. It is a large, flat, triangular muscle covering the lower back. It arises from the lower half of the vertebral column and iliac crest (hipbone) and tapers to a rounded tendon inserted at (attached to) the front of the upper part of the humerus (upper-arm bone).

      The action of the latissimus dorsi draws the upper arm downward and backward and rotates it inward, as exemplified in the downstroke in swimming the crawl. In climbing it joins with the abdominal and pectoral muscles to pull the trunk upward. The two latissimus dorsi muscles also assist in forced respiration by raising the lower ribs.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • latissimus dorsi — [lä tis′i məs dôr′sī, dôr′sē] n. pl. latissimi dorsi [lä tis′i mēdr̄′si, lä tis′i mē dôr′sē] either of the large, wide, triangular muscles, one on each side of the back, connecting the lower and central spine with the arm: it helps rotate, extend …   English World dictionary

  • Latissimus dorsi — Musculus latissimus dorsi Ursprung Dornfortsätze der untersten 6 Brustwirbel, Fascia thoracolumbalis, Darmbein (Crista iliaca) und unterste 3 oder 4 Rippen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Latissimus dorsi muscle — Muscle infobox Name = Latissimus dorsi Latin = musculus latissimus dorsi | GraySubject = 121 GrayPage = 432 Caption = Latissimus dorsi Caption2 = Muscles connecting the upper extremity to the vertebral column. Origin = spinous processes of… …   Wikipedia

  • latissimus dorsi muscle — musculus latissimus dorsi …   Medical dictionary

  • latissimus dorsi — noun (plural latissimi dorsi) Etymology: New Latin, literally, broadest (muscle) of the back Date: 1684 a broad flat superficial muscle chiefly of the middle and lower back that extends, adducts, and rotates the arm medially and draws the… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • latissimus dorsi — la·tis·si·mus dor·si lə tis ə məs dȯr .sī n, pl la·tis·si·mi dorsi .mī a broad flat superficial muscle of the lower part of the back that originates mostly in a broad aponeurosis attached to the spinous processes of the vertebrae of the lower… …   Medical dictionary

  • latissimus dorsi — la•tis•si•mus dor•si [[t]ləˈtɪs ə məs ˈdɔr saɪ[/t]] n. pl. la•tis•si•mi dorsi [[t]ləˈtɪs əˌmaɪ[/t]] anat. a broad, flat muscle on each side of the middle of the back, the action of which draws the arm backward and downward • Etymology: < NL:… …   From formal English to slang

  • latissimus dorsi — noun Either of the larger, flat, dorso lateral muscles on the trunk, posterior to the arm, and partly covered by the trapezius on its median dorsal region. Syn: lats …   Wiktionary

  • latissimus dorsi — wide muscles on the back that stretch from the middle of the back to the sides of the torso …   English contemporary dictionary

  • latissimus dorsi — /læˌtɪsɪməs ˈdɔsi/ (say la.tisimuhs dawsee) noun Anatomy one of a pair of broad muscles, located on either side of the back, running from under the arm to the waist. {New Latin: the broadest (muscle) of the back} …  

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