styloglossus

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US/ˌstaɪ.loʊˈɡlɑs.əs/US/ˌstaɪ.loʊˈɡlɔs.əs/

noun

A small muscle that arises from the styloid process of the temporal bone, inserts along the side and underpart of the tongue, and functions to draw up the sides of the tongue to create a trough for swallowing.

OriginNew Latin styloglōssus →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nounstyloglossus (plural styloglossi)

plural styloglossi

  1. anatomyA small muscle that arises from the styloid process of the temporal bone, inserts along the side and underpart of the tongue, and functions to draw up the sides of the tongue to create a trough for swallowing.

Origin

  1. New Latinstyloglōssus
  2. Englishstyloglossus

Borrowed from New Latin styloglōssus, clipping of mūsculus styloglōssus (“styloglossal muscle”).

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 莖突舌肌 /茎突舌肌
  • 莖突舌肌 /茎突舌肌 (jīngtúshéjī)muscle
French muscle stylo-glosse
  • muscle stylo-glossemuscle
Italian muscolo stiloglosso
  • muscolo stiloglossomuscle
Spanish estilogloso
  • estiloglosomuscle

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with styloglossus

colossusgenioglossushyoglossuspalatoglossus
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

styloglossus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/styloglossus

MLA

“styloglossus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/styloglossus. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “styloglossus,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/styloglossus.

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