supraspinata

Supraspinata is a Latin adjectival form used in anatomical terminology to designate structures situated above a spine, most often above the spine of the scapula. It derives from supras- meaning above and spina meaning spine, with the feminine suffix -ata, allowing agreement with feminine nouns such as fossa.

In standard usage, supraspinata appears in compound names like fossa supraspinata, the supraspinous fossa on the posterior surface of the scapula located above its spine. The plural form is fossae supraspinatae. The term is a descriptive modifier used to indicate position and is commonly encountered in descriptions of bone surfaces, fossae, or soft tissues in that region. The concept is closely linked to the musculus supraspinatus, whose name reflects its location in the supraspinata region.

Readers should distinguish supraspinata from supraspinatus, the latter being the specific muscle of the rotator cuff. Supraspinata serves as a grammatical form rather than a standalone noun, its exact meaning depending on the noun it modifies. See also: supraspinatus, fossa supraspinata, spine of the scapula.