(anatomy) A small muscle of the middle ear that is located in the bony canal just above the bony part of the Eustachian tube, that arises from the canal containing it, from the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube, and from the adjacent greater wing of the sphenoid bone, that is inserted by a long tendon into the manubrium of the malleus near its base, and that serves to adjust the tension of the tympanic membrane.

plural of tympanectomy

(surgery) Excision of the tympanic membrane.

plural of tympani

(medicine) Of, pertaining to, or affected with, tympanites.

plural of tympany

(anatomy) Having the form of a tympanum or of a drum

(anatomy) The ectotympanic ring; a bony ring that holds the eardrum.

A disease of the tensor tympani muscle, leading to chronic ear pain.

(neuroanatomy) A branch of the facial nerve that traverses the middle ear cavity and the infratemporal fossa and supplies autonomic fibers to the sublingual and submandibular glands and sensory fibers to the anterior part of the tongue.