Dictionary

cardiac muscle

noun

Definition of CARDIAC MUSCLE

:  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
ADVERTISEMENT

First Known Use of CARDIAC MUSCLE

circa 1881
Medical Dictionary

cardiac muscle

noun

Medical Definition of CARDIAC MUSCLE

:  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 disks, 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 disks—compare smooth muscle, striated muscle

Illustration of CARDIAC MUSCLE

Browse

Next Word in the Dictionary: cardiazolPrevious Word in the Dictionary: cardiac massageAll Words Near: cardiac muscle
ADVERTISEMENT
How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.
Test your vocab with our fun, fast game
Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears