maxillary

M3A1X8I1L1L1A1R1Y4
UK/makˈsɪl.ə.ɹi/US/ˈmæk.səˌlɛɹ.i/

adjective

Of or relating to the jaw or jawbone.

Similar
upper jawupper jawbonemaxilla

Meanings

adjectivemaxillary (not comparable)

alternative maxillar

  1. not comparableanatomyOf or relating to the jaw or jawbone.
  2. not comparablebiologyOf or pertaining to the maxillae of an arthropod.
nounmaxillary (plural maxillaries)

plural maxillaries · alternative maxillar

  1. alternativeanatomyAlternative form of maxilla.
    2 more examples

    In the RODENTIA the interorbital space is still larger, by reason of the size of the intermaxillary bones throwing the maxillary backwards and to the sides, where they form the inner orbitar wall, in which the palate bones occupy only a small space. The anterior wall is formed by a process of the maxillary, which contributes to form the zygomatic arch, while the malar is suspended in the middle between the process and that of the temporal bone.

    1842, Encyclopaedia Britannica, page 5

    Neoplastic localisations in the maxillaries can be distinguished between primitive tumour lesions with osteomedullary origin (osteoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, myeloma, etc.) and secondary neoplasms of the maxillaries such as the hematogenous metastasis or the tumours which affect the maxillaries for their adjacency, for example, the lesions in the oral cavity and the salivary glands.

    2014, Ignazio Pandolfo, Silvio Mazziotti, Orthopantomography, page 148
  2. anatomyA tooth growing from the upper jawbone.

    A tendon extends from the inner surface of the dentary to the postero-lateral surface of the maxillary near the ball and socket joint.

    1928, Edna May Keeler, A Comparative Study of the Muscles Controlling the Maxillary Tentacles of the Siluridae, page 42

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe jaw in vertebrates that is fused to the cranium

Similar
upper jawupper jawbonemaxilla
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinmāxillāris“of or belonging to the jaw”
  2. Englishmaxillary

Borrowed from Latin māxillāris (“of or belonging to the jaw”), from māxilla (“the jawbone, jaw”) + -āris (“-ar, -ary”, adjectival suffix); equivalent to maxilla + -ary.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic فَكِّيّ
  • فَكِّيّ (fakkiyy)of or pertaining to the jaw
Bulgarian че́люстен
  • че́люстен (čéljusten)of or pertaining to the jaw
Chinese Mandarin 上頜的 /上颌的
  • 上頜的 /上颌的of or pertaining to the jaw
Czech maxilární, čelistní
  • maxilárníof or pertaining to the jaw
  • čelistníof or pertaining to the jaw
Finnish leuka-, maksillaarinen
  • leuka-of or pertaining to the jaw
  • maksillaarinenof or pertaining to the jaw
French maxillaire
  • maxillaireof or pertaining to the jaw
German maxillar, maxillär
  • maxillarof or pertaining to the jaw
  • maxillärof or pertaining to the jaw
  • Kiefer-of or pertaining to the jaw
Italian mascellare, massillare
  • mascellareof or pertaining to the jaw
  • massillareof or pertaining to the jaw
Polish szczękowy
  • szczękowyof or pertaining to the jaw
Portuguese maxilar
  • maxilarof or pertaining to the jaw
Russian челюстно́й
  • челюстно́й (čeljustnój)of or pertaining to the jaw
Slovak maxilárny, čeľustný
  • maxilárnyof or pertaining to the jaw
  • čeľustnýof or pertaining to the jaw
Spanish maxilar
  • maxilarof or pertaining to the jaw
Turkish çenesel, maksiller
  • çeneselof or pertaining to the jaw
  • maksillerof or pertaining to the jaw
Ukrainian ще́лепний
  • ще́лепний (ščélepnyj)of or pertaining to the jaw

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with maxillary

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

maxillary. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maxillary

MLA

“maxillary.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maxillary. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “maxillary,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maxillary.

Source: maxillary on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.