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cardiac muscle
noun
: the principal involuntary-muscle tissue of the vertebrate heart made up of striated fibers joined at usually branched ends and functioning in synchronized rhythmic contraction
Examples of cardiac muscle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the cellular level, inflammation triggers molecular pathways that contribute to an increase in the size (hypertrophy) of cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes), which can negatively affect heart function.
—New Atlas, 29 Nov. 2024
May Protect Heart Health Taurine is found in high levels in cardiac muscle.
—Jillian Kubala, Rd, Health, 5 Nov. 2024
Cardiologists may also recommend drugs to restore a more normal heartbeat, including beta blockers or calcium channel blockers, which work by lowering the heart’s pumping rate and giving the cardiac muscles a bit of a biological break.
—Lori Oliwenstein, TIME, 12 Sep. 2024
Muscle mass refers to the total amount of muscle in the body, including skeletal muscle mass and cardiac muscles.
—Andi Breitowich, Women's Health, 4 Aug. 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
1846, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near cardiac muscle
Cite this Entry
“Cardiac muscle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardiac%20muscle. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Medical Definition
cardiac muscle
noun
: the principal muscle tissue of the vertebrate heart that is made up of elongated striated muscle fibers each of which consists of a single cell that has an intrinsic rhythm of contraction and relaxation even when isolated, is joined physically at its often branched ends to other such cells by intercalated discs, and in intact myocardial tissue is synchronized to function in contraction especially by electrical signals of extrinsic origin passing through gap junctions in the intercalated discs compare smooth muscle, striated muscle
More from Merriam-Webster on cardiac muscle
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cardiac muscle
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