ESEN
Which one to use?Advancednounnoun
MusclevsMussel
'Muscle' is the body tissue that contracts to produce movement; 'mussel' is the dark-shelled edible shellfish.
Side-by-side comparison
Muscle
noun"Muscle" is the body tissue made of fibres that contract to produce movement. "Muscle tone" = the firmness of muscles. "Flex your muscles" = contract your muscles.
He strained a muscle in his back while lifting the equipment.
Regular exercise builds muscle and improves metabolism.
The company used its financial muscle to win the contract.
Mussel
noun"Mussel" is the edible bivalve shellfish with a dark elongated shell, often steamed in wine sauce. It is pronounced exactly the same as "muscle".
She ordered a bowl of steamed mussels with garlic and white wine.
Mussels are a sustainable and nutritious source of protein.
Fresh mussels should close when tapped, discard any that stay open.
Common mistake
- •"I'll have the steamed muscles" when ordering food is wrong: the dark-shelled shellfish is "mussel".
- •"Muscle" is the body tissue that contracts.
- •Both come from the same Latin root but are distinct words.
Trick to remember it
- •"Muscle" has a C for "contract", muscles contract to move.
- •"Mussel" has SS like "sea shell", the shellfish has two shells.
Quick rule
- •Is it the body tissue that contracts? "Muscle".
- •Is it the dark-shelled shellfish? "Mussel".
Did you know?
MUSCLE and MUSSEL are etymological twins, both words come from Latin "musculus," meaning "little mouse." Romans observed that forearm muscles contracting looked like a mouse moving under the skin. And they named the mussel "musculus" because its elongated shape reminded them of a small mouse. So eating mussels to build muscle has a perfect etymological irony: both things share the same Latin name. "Muscle memory" (the ability of the body to remember repeated movements until they become automatic) is not actually memory of the muscle but of the nervous system, yet the name endures.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She pulled a _____ in her leg during the race and had to stop.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
We ordered a big bowl of _____ s in white wine sauce at the seafood restaurant.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy