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digastric

digastric

9.3
A muscle in the neck with two parts joined by a tendon that helps move the jaw
  • noun
  • /daɪˈɡæstrɪk/
  • Specialized
: músculo digástrico
  • The digastric muscle plays a crucial role in swallowing.

Examples

  • The doctor explained that the digastric muscle helps open the jaw during eating.

  • An injury to the digastric can make swallowing difficult.

  • The doctor explained that the digastric helps open the jaw during eating.

  • During the anatomy lesson, students identified the digastric on the neck model.

  • He felt pain in his digastric area after the surgery.

  • An injury to the digastric muscle can make swallowing difficult.

  • During the anatomy lesson, students identified the digastric muscle on the neck model.

Surface Forms

digastric singular
digastrics plural

Morphology

digastric = gastric (semi-transparent) = di + gastr + ic

The prefix di- and the classical stomach/belly root are recognizable, but the anatomical sense 'two-bellied muscle' is specialized and only partly predictable.

Etymology

Digastric comes from Greek parts di- meaning 'two' and gaster meaning 'belly', like the word gastric for the stomach. So a digastric is a 'two-bellied' muscle with two parts joined by a tendon, which helps move the jaw and swallow.