noun
insertion
The point where a muscle attaches to the bone it moves.
The biceps has its insertion on a bone in the forearm.
Etymology
Insertion ordinarily names putting something into a place. Anatomy uses it for the attachment where a muscle is inserted into the structure it acts upon, usually a movable bone.
More examples
- During a curl, the biceps insertion moves toward its origin.
- The surgeon examines the tendon at the muscle's insertion.
- Students identify the origins and insertions of several leg muscles.
Forms
insertion · insertions
insert verb — To attach to a bone or tissue.
Similar words
- attachment
- Broader term covering both a muscle's origin and its insertion.