masseter

American

[ma-see-ter] / mæˈsi tər /

noun

Anatomy.

a short, thick, masticatory muscle, the action of which assists in closing the jaws by raising the mandible or lower jaw.

masseter British

/ ˌmæsɪˈtɛrɪk, mæˈsiːtə /

noun

anatomy a muscle of the cheek used in moving the jaw, esp in chewing

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

masseteric

adjective

Etymology

Origin of masseter

1660–70; < New Latin < Greek massētḗr, variant of masētḗr chewer, masseter, equivalent to masē-, variant stem of masâsthai to chew + -tēr agentive suffix

Vocabulary lists containing masseter

Human Anatomy and Physiology - High School

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Example Sentences

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Masseter, mas-ē′tėr, n. a muscle which raises the under jaw, and thus closes the mouth.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023