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trochlear

trochlear

1 9.9
A nerve in the head that moves an eye muscle to turn the eye down and in
  • noun
  • /ˈtrɒkliər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : troclear
  • Olfactory, optic, oculomotor, trochlear, trig... look it's a mnemonic for the cranial nerves.

Examples

  • The trochlear nerve is responsible for controlling the movement of the superior oblique muscle of the eye.

  • The oculomotor, the trochlear, the glossopharyngeal, and...

  • As knee flexion increases, the patella sits in the trochlear groove more securely and, thereby, is less affected by either external or internal tibial rotation.

    Academic text (2001)
  • During the medical exam, the doctor assessed the function of the trochlear nerve to ensure proper eye movement.

  • In anatomy class, we learned that the trochlear nerve is one of the cranial nerves involved in eye muscle control.

Synonyms

trochlearis
vstrochlear
  • Specialized
9.9

A nerve in the head that controls the top slanted eye muscle and helps you look down

is the identical concept but expressed in a different wording style
trochlear nerve
vstrochlear
  • Specialized
7.2

A part of the body that controls an eye muscle to move the eye down and to the side

is broader, describing control of the muscle without naming movement directions
fourth cranial nerve
vstrochlear
  • Specialized
7.0

A nerve that controls a top eye muscle and helps the eye look down

is the term focused on the nerve identity rather than on movement detail

Compounds

trochlear nerve
  • Specialized
7.2

A part of the body that controls an eye muscle to move the eye down and to the side

Surface Forms

trochlear singular
trochlears plural

Morphology

trochlear = trochlea (semi-transparent) = trochlea + ar

Formally the adjective/noun is derived by adding the common adjectival suffix '-ar' to the technical noun 'trochlea', which makes the relation clear to those who know the anatomical base but not to general learners.

Etymology

Trochlear comes from the old word trochlea meaning 'pulley', which is a helpful image because the trochlear nerve controls a tiny eye muscle that acts like a pulley to turn the eye, so the name explains its job.