Meaning & use
aponeuroses
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“aponeuroses” is a form of “aponeurosis”.
Meanings
nounpluralmedical
Plural of aponeurosis: broad, flat sheets of strong fibrous tissue that connect muscles to bones or to other muscles.
Grammar: Plural form; the singular is aponeurosis: one aponeurosis, several aponeuroses.
Patterns
- aponeuroses of the abdomen
- aponeuroses of muscles
The aponeuroses of the abdominal muscles join in a line down the middle of the stomach.
Surgeons must avoid damaging the aponeuroses when they close the incision.
Unlike rounded tendons, aponeuroses spread force across a wide area.
nounpluralmedical
Sheets of fibrous tissue that cover or enclose muscles, such as those in the palm of the hand or sole of the foot.
Grammar: Often named by body part: the palmar or plantar aponeuroses.
Patterns
- palmar aponeuroses
- plantar aponeuroses
The plantar aponeuroses support the arch of the foot.
Thickening of the palmar aponeuroses can pull the fingers inward.
Anatomy students trace the aponeuroses beneath the skin of the scalp.
Word forms
| singular | aponeurosis |
|---|
Common combinations
- abdominal aponeuroses
- The abdominal aponeuroses form a strong sheath along the front of the torso.
- palmar aponeurosis
- Dupuytren's disease affects the palmar aponeurosis in the hand.
- aponeurosis of a muscle
- The muscle ends in a broad aponeurosis rather than a cord-like tendon.
- incise the aponeurosis
- The surgeon carefully incised the aponeurosis to reach the muscle beneath.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fascia
- Fascia is a general term for connective tissue wrapped around organs and muscles, while an aponeurosis is specifically a flat tendon-like sheet attaching muscle.
- tendon
- A tendon is a rounded cord connecting muscle to bone, whereas an aponeurosis is a wide flat sheet that does the same job over a larger area.
Word family
- aponeurosis noun
- the singular form
- aponeurotic adjective
- relating to an aponeurosis
- aponeurositis noun
- inflammation of an aponeurosis
Commonly confused: aponeuroses or neuroses?
aponeuroses vs neuroses
Neuroses is the plural of neurosis, a mental condition, and has nothing to do with flat sheets of connective tissue, even though the endings look alike.
Practice
What are aponeuroses?
Choose one answer.
Aponeuroses are broad fibrous sheets that anchor muscle. Nerve cells, joint sacs and blood vessels are different tissues; the word's similarity to neuroses is misleading.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aponeuroses”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.