| levator | 1. <anatomy> A muscle that serves to raise some part, as the lip or the eyelid. 2. <surgery> A surgical instrument used to raise a depressed part of the skull. Origin: NL, fr. L. Levare to raise. See Lever. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| levator ani muscle | <anatomy> Formed by pubococcygeus and iliococcygeus muscles; origin, posterior body of pubis, tendinous arch of the levator ani, and spine of ischium; insertion, anococcygeal ligament, sides of the lower part of the sacrum and of coccyx; action, resists prolapsing forces and draws the anus upward following defecation; supports the pelvic viscera; nerve supply, nerve to levator ani (fourth sacral spinal nerve). Synonym: musculus levator ani, elevator muscle of anus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator cushion | The bulge in the lateral wall of the nasopharynx, below the opening of the auditory tube, produced by the levator veli palatini muscle. Synonym: torus levatorius, levator swelling. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator hernia | A hernia protruding through the pelvic diaphragm. Synonym: levator hernia, pudendal hernia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator labii superioris | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, maxilla below infraorbital foramen; insertion, orbicularis oris of upper lip; action, elevates upper lip; nerve supply, facial. Synonym: musculus levator labii superioris, caput infraorbitale quadrati labii superioris, elevator muscle of upper lip. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator labii superioris alaeque nasi | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, root of nasal process of maxilla; insertion, wing of nose and orbicularis oris muscle of upper lip; action, elevates upper lip and wing of nose; nerve supply, facial. Synonym: musculus levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, caput angulare quadrati labii superioris, elevator muscle of upper lip and wing of nose. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator muscle of thyroid gland | A fasciculus occasionally passing from the thyrohyoid muscle to the isthmus of the thyroid gland. Synonym: musculus levator glandulae thyroideae, elevator muscle of thyroid gland, Soemmerring's muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator palati muscle | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, apex of petrous portion of temporal bone and lower part of cartilaginous auditory (eustachian) tube; insertion, aponeurosis of soft palate; action, raises soft palate; through the expansion of its fleshy belly during contraction, it helps to "push" open the auditory tube; nerve supply, pharyngeal plexus (cranial root of accessory nerve). Synonym: musculus levator veli palatini, elevator muscle of soft palate, levator palati muscle, musculus levator palati, musculus petrostaphylinus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator palpebrae superioris | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, orbital surface of the lesser wing of the sphenoid, above and anterior to the optic canal; insertion, skin of eyelid, tarsal plate, and orbital walls, by medial and lateral expansions of the aponeurosis of insertion; action, raises the upper eyelid; nerve supply, oculomotor. Synonym: musculus levator palpebrae superioris, elevator muscle of upper eyelid, musculus orbitopalpebralis, palpebralis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator prostatae muscle | <anatomy> In the male, the most medial fibres of the levator ani (pubococcygeus) muscle that extend from the pubis into the fascia of the prostate. Synonym: musculus levator prostatae, elevator muscle of prostate. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator scapulae | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, from posterior tubercles of transverse processes of four upper cervical vertebrae; insertion, into superior angle of scapula; action, raises the scapula; nerve supply, dorsal scapular nerve. Synonym: musculus levator scapulae, elevator muscle of scapula, musculus levator anguli scapulae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator swelling | The bulge in the lateral wall of the nasopharynx, below the opening of the auditory tube, produced by the levator veli palatini muscle. Synonym: torus levatorius, levator swelling. (05 Mar 2000) |
| levator veli palatini | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, apex of petrous portion of temporal bone and lower part of cartilaginous auditory (eustachian) tube; insertion, aponeurosis of soft palate; action, raises soft palate; through the expansion of its fleshy belly during contraction, it helps to "push" open the auditory tube; nerve supply, pharyngeal plexus (cranial root of accessory nerve). Synonym: musculus levator veli palatini, elevator muscle of soft palate, levator palati muscle, musculus levator palati, musculus petrostaphylinus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus | <anatomy> A muscle. For histologic description, see muscle. Synonym: muscle. Origin: L. A little mouse, a muscle, fr. Mus (mur-), a mouse (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus abductor digiti minimi manus | Origin, pisiform bone and pisohamate ligament; insertion, medial side of base of proximal phalanx of the little finger; action, abducts and flexes little finger; nerve supply, ulnar. Synonym: musculus abductor digiti minimi manus, abductor muscle of little finger, musculus abductor digiti quinti. (05 Mar 2000) |