trapezius
noun
tra·pe·zi·us trə-ˈpē-zē-əs 
tra-
plural trapezii trə-ˈpē-zē-ˌī
tra-
also trapeziuses : a large flat triangular superficial muscle of each side of the upper back
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Most recently, the Hulu star was accused of a photoshop fail, after a TikTok account claimed that Kim edited a picture of her trapezius muscle in an Instagram pic. 
Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 31 Aug. 2022 This targets the upper trapezius muscle on the outside of your neck. Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 31 Aug. 2022 That changed when the decision was made to scratch Nate Eovaldi from his start Thursday because of a sore trapezius muscle. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2022 Nate Eovaldi, scratched from Thursday’s start due to soreness in his right trapezius area, remains on track to start on Tuesday, Cora said after the game . . . Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2022 McAvoy’s disturbing body contortions were the result of his work with Lygdback, who similarly helped Skarsgård learn to shape his body so that his trapezius muscles were bulging and defined. Zack Sharf, Variety, 22 Apr. 2022 The exercise primarily targets back muscles such as the rhomboids and trapezius and posterior deltoids. Ben Walker, Outside Online, 28 Aug. 2020 The trapezius muscle stabilizes, elevates, depresses, retracts and rotates the scapula (shoulder blade). Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 26 Jan. 2022 The muscles that support the shoulders, including the rhomboids, trapezius, and deltoids, are a lot smaller than the quads and hamstrings, the big muscles that stabilize the knee joint. Jen Murphy, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2022 See More
Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 31 Aug. 2022 This targets the upper trapezius muscle on the outside of your neck. Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 31 Aug. 2022 That changed when the decision was made to scratch Nate Eovaldi from his start Thursday because of a sore trapezius muscle. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2022 Nate Eovaldi, scratched from Thursday’s start due to soreness in his right trapezius area, remains on track to start on Tuesday, Cora said after the game . . . Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2022 McAvoy’s disturbing body contortions were the result of his work with Lygdback, who similarly helped Skarsgård learn to shape his body so that his trapezius muscles were bulging and defined. Zack Sharf, Variety, 22 Apr. 2022 The exercise primarily targets back muscles such as the rhomboids and trapezius and posterior deltoids. Ben Walker, Outside Online, 28 Aug. 2020 The trapezius muscle stabilizes, elevates, depresses, retracts and rotates the scapula (shoulder blade). Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 26 Jan. 2022 The muscles that support the shoulders, including the rhomboids, trapezius, and deltoids, are a lot smaller than the quads and hamstrings, the big muscles that stabilize the knee joint. Jen Murphy, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from trapezium; from the pair on the back forming together the figure of a trapezium
First Known Use
circa 1704, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
trapezius
noun
tra·pe·zi·us trə-ˈpē-zē-əs, tra-
plural trapezii -zē-ˌī also trapeziuses
also trapeziuses : a large flat triangular superficial muscle of each side of the upper back that arises from the occipital bone, the ligamentum nuchae, and the spinous processes of the last cervical and all the thoracic vertebrae, is inserted into the outer part of the clavicle, the acromion, and the spine of the scapula, and serves chiefly to rotate the scapula so as to present the glenoid cavity upward