muscle memory

[muhs-uhl mem-uh-ree]

noun

1. Psychology, Physiology.,  the ability, acquired through repetition, to complete a particular muscular movement quickly, efficiently, and without conscious effort.

Word History and Origins

Origin of muscle memory¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

When you think so many times about something your muscle memory works by itself.

From BBC

Most of these are dishes I could make on muscle memory — which is the point.

From Salon

In training, McCann has sometimes felt the urge to lift the knee to block an incoming opponent - "muscle memory", as she puts it.

From BBC

Isla goes from debilitation to windows of composure: helping to deliver a baby or seeing off one of the infected with muscle memory precision that shows a glimpse of her past.

From BBC

The crowd is reacting to what’s probably muscle memory derived from decades of being in the audience and hearing that sound.

From Salon