glossopharyngeal nerve

glos·so·pha·ryn·ge·al nerve  (glôs-f-rnj-l, -jl, -frn-jl, gls-)

n.

Either of the ninth pair of cranial nerves that contain both sensory and motor fibers and supply the tongue, soft palate, pharynx, and parotid gland.

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[Greek glssa, tongue + pharyngeal.]

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glossopharyngeal nerve [ˌglɒsəʊˌfærɪnˈdʒiːəl]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) the ninth cranial nerve, which supplies the muscles of the pharynx, the tongue, the middle ear, and the parotid gland

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

glossopharyngeal nerve - sensory nerve to the pharynx and back of the tongue; motor fibers innervate muscles that elevate the pharynx and larynx; includes parasympathetic fibers to the otic ganglion nervus glossopharyngeus, ninth cranial nerve cranial nerve - any of the 12 paired nerves that originate in the brain stem