pterygopalatine fossa

English

Noun

pterygopalatine fossa (plural pterygopalatine fossae)

1. (anatomy) A small triangular space beneath the apex of the orbit that is bounded above by the sphenoid bone and the orbital process of the palatine bone, in front by the maxilla, medially by the palatine bone, and behind by the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone and that contains among other structures the pterygopalatine ganglion.

   Synonyms: pterygomaxillary fossa, sphenomaxillary fossa, sphenopalatine fossa

Translations

space beneath the apex of the orbit

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 翼顎窩／翼颚窝 (yì'è wō)

References

• “pterygopalatine fossa”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.