tensor veli palatini

US/ˈtɛn.sɚ ˌviˌlaɪ ˌpæl.əˈtaɪˌnaɪ/

noun

A ribbonlike muscle of the palate that arises from the scaphoid fossa, from the spine of the sphenoid bone, and from the lateral cartilaginous wall of the Eustachian tube, that is attached by a tendon which hooks around the pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone to insert especially into the soft palate, and that acts especially to tense the soft palate.

OriginNew Latin tensor vēlī palātīnī →
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Meanings

nountensor veli palatini (plural tensores veli palatini)

plural tensores veli palatini

  1. anatomyA ribbonlike muscle of the palate that arises from the scaphoid fossa, from the spine of the sphenoid bone, and from the lateral cartilaginous wall of the Eustachian tube, that is attached by a tendon which hooks around the pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone to insert especially into the soft palate, and that acts especially to tense the soft palate.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
sphenosalpingostaphylinus

Origin

  1. New Latintensor vēlī palātīnī“tensor of the palatine veil”
  2. Englishtensor veli palatini

Borrowed from New Latin tensor vēlī palātīnī (“tensor of the palatine veil”).

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 腭帆張肌, 顎帆張肌 /颚帆张肌
  • 腭帆張肌muscle
  • 顎帆張肌 /颚帆张肌muscle
  • 張腭帆肌muscle
  • 張顎帆肌 /张颚帆肌muscle
Cite this entry
APA

tensor veli palatini. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tensor%20veli%20palatini

MLA

“tensor veli palatini.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tensor%20veli%20palatini. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tensor veli palatini,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tensor%20veli%20palatini.

Source: tensor veli palatini on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.