(anatomy) A muscle that arises from the greater wing of the sphenoid bone and from the outer surface of the lateral pterygoid plate, is inserted into the condyle of the mandible and the articular disk of the temporomandibular joint, and acts as an antagonist of the masseter, temporalis, and medial pterygoid muscles.

(neuroanatomy) A branch of the mandibular nerve that is distributed to the lateral pterygoid muscle.

(neuroanatomy) A branch of the mandibular nerve that is distributed to the medial pterygoid muscle, tensor tympani, and tensor veli palatini.

(neuroanatomy) A nerve formed by the union of the greater petrosal and the deep petrosal nerves that passes forward through the pterygoid canal in the sphenoid bone and joins the pterygopalatine ganglion.

(anatomy) A long narrow plate that forms the medial part of the pterygoid process, terminates in the pterygoid hamulus, and forms with its lateral surface part of the pterygoid fossa and with its medial surface the lateral boundary of a choana.

(anatomy) A broad thin plate that forms the lateral part of the pterygoid process and gives attachment to the lateral pterygoid muscle on its lateral surface and to the medial pterygoid muscle on its medial surface.

(anatomy) Alternative form of pterygoid muscle.

plural of pterygoideus