Anatomy
masseter muscle
mas·se·ter
Subclass of:
Masticatory muscles
Definitions related to masseter muscle:
-
(muscle, masseter) A muscle extending from the zygomatic arch to the lateral surface of mandibular ramus; primary function is elevation of the mandible (closing of the mouth).CDISC TerminologyClinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC), 2021
-
A masticatory muscle whose action is closing the jaws.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
-
A muscle of mastication originating from the zygomatic arch.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
-
Masseter, (from Greek masasthai, "to chew"), prominent muscle of the jaw. The masseter arises from the zygomatic bone (cheekbone) and is inserted at the rear of the mandible (jawbone). Contraction of the muscle raises the mandible, and it is particularly used in chewing food. The masseter can be...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
Return to OpenMD Medical Dictionary
> M
This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.