Standard Lemma guide

palatopharyngeus

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpal.ət.əʊ.fəˈɹɪn.d͡ʒi.əs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpal.ət.əʊ.fəˈɹɪn.ʒi.əs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /pəˌleɪ.təʊ.fəˈɹɪn.d͡ʒi.əs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /pəˌleɪ.təʊ.fəˈɹɪn.ʒi.əs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpal.ət.əʊˌfa.ɹɪnˈd͡ʒiː.əs/
  • General-American: /ˌpæl.ət.oʊˌfæɹ.ənˈd͡ʒi.əs/
  • General-American: /ˌpæl.ət.oʊ.fəˈɹɪn.d͡ʒi.əs/
  • General-American: /ˌpæl.ət.oʊ.fəˈɹɪn.d͡ʒəs/
  • rhymes with -ɪndʒiəs
  • rhymes with -iːəs

1

noun

Meaning 1

A long, fleshy longitudinal muscle, narrower in the middle than at either end, that arises from the soft palate, contributes with the mucous membrane covering its surface to the structure of the palatopharyngeal arch, and is inserted into the thyroid cartilage and the wall of the pharynx; it serves to constrict the fauces and draw the larynx and pharynx upwards.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pharyngopalatinus

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin palātopharyngeus, clipping of mūsculus palātopharyngeus (“palatopharyngeal muscle”). Doublet of palatopharyngeal.