parotid gland

American  

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

noun

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.

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parotid gland British  

noun

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

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parotid gland Scientific  

/ pə-rŏt′ĭd /

1. Either of the pair of salivary glands situated below and in front of each ear.

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Example Sentences

She was told she required parotidectomy surgery which involved removing part of a major salivary gland in her cheek called the parotid gland.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2025

Discuss how saliva produced by the parotid gland differs in action from saliva produced by the sublingual 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

The external carotid artery ascends through the upper part of the side of the neck, and behind the lower jaw into the parotid gland, where it divides into the internal maxillary and superficial temporal branches.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 6 "Armour Plates" to "Arundel, Earls of" by Various