Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for parotid gland. Search instead for carotid gland.

parotid gland

American  
[per-aht-id gland] / pərˈɑt ɪd ˌglænd /

noun

parotid glands plural
  1. Anatomy. Also called parotid. a salivary gland situated at the base of each ear.

  2. Zoology. a similar gland found in snakes, modified to produce secretions of saliva or venom.


parotid gland British  

noun

  1. a large salivary gland, in man situated in front of and below each ear

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

parotid gland Scientific  
/ pə-rŏtĭd /
  1. Either of the pair of salivary glands situated below and in front of each ear.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The positioning of the parotid gland was important as it was preventing the tumour from damaging facial tissue or harming important nearby structures, including the facial nerve.

From BBC Mar. 4, 2025

The parasympathetic fibers of the glossopharyngeal nerve synapse in the otic ganglion, which projects to the parotid gland.

From Textbooks Jun. 19, 2013

Vilanova, who was gouged in the eye by Mourinho after their Supercopa match at the start of the season, was back after recovering from surgery to remove a tumor on his parotid gland.

From New York Times Dec. 11, 2011

Separately, researchers are also examining whether cell phone use increases the risk of tumors in the ear's acoustic nerve and the parotid gland, where saliva is produced.

From Salon May 17, 2010

By tying any considerable blood-vessel before dividing it, and by using the handle of the scalpel and the fingers in detaching the portion of the parotid gland towards the ear the hemorrhage was always inconsiderable.

From Cattle and Their Diseases Embracing Their History and Breeds, Crossing and Breeding, And Feeding and Management; With the Diseases to which They are Subject, And The Remedies Best Adapted to their Cure by Jennings, Robert

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training