pterygoid
/ˈtɛrəɡɔɪd/
adjective
- Relating to a wing-shaped part of the skull, especially the pterygoid bone or process.
- The pterygoid muscles help with chewing and moving the jaw.
- The anatomy class studied the pterygoid region of the skull.
- A fracture of the pterygoid process can cause difficulty in opening the mouth.
noun
- A wing-shaped bone or process in the skull, especially one of the pterygoid bones.
- In some animals, the pterygoid is more developed than in humans.
- The surgeon carefully avoided damaging the pterygoid during the operation.
- The pterygoid is one of the bones that form the back part of the palate.