Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
pterygoid process

pterygoid process

9.9
A bony part inside the skull that sticks down to help form the nose and mouth and hold chewing muscles
  • noun
  • /ˈtɛrɪˌɡɔɪd ˈprɒsɛs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : proceso pterigoides
  • The lateral pterygoid process plays a crucial role in the attachment of muscles involved in chewing.

Examples

  • In anatomy class, we studied the structure of the pterygoid process and its relation to the sphenoid bone.

  • A fracture of the pterygoid process may affect jaw movement and require medical attention.

  • The pterygoid process is essential for jaw movement.

  • Can you identify the pterygoid processes in the diagram?

  • In anatomy, the pterygoid process helps connect muscles that control the jaw and facilitate chewing.

  • During the dissection, we learned how the pterygoid process contributes to the overall structure of the skull.

  • The dentist explained that damage to the pterygoid process can lead to difficulties in jaw alignment and function.

Surface Forms

pterygoid process singular
pterygoid processes plural

Morphology

pterygoid + process

The term is compositionally transparent: 'pterygoid' describes a wing-shaped/pertaining-to-pterygoid region and 'process' denotes a bony projection, so together they literally denote a wing-like bony projection. Although anatomical and specialized, the meaning follows regular morphological composition (adjective + noun) common in many languages, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the sense.

Etymology

The noun pterygoid process comes from the Greek word pterygoid meaning 'wing' and the word process meaning a part that sticks out. These are the wing-shaped bony parts that hang down from a bone in the middle of the skull, so the name helps you picture their shape and location.