uvula

views updated May 21 2018

u·vu·la / ˈyoōvyələ/ • n. (pl. -lae / -ˌlē; -ˌlī/ ) Anat. (also pal·a·tine u·vu·la) a fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate that hangs above the throat. ∎  a similar fleshy hanging structure in any organ of the body, particularly one at the opening of the bladder.

UVULA

views updated May 29 2018

UVULA. The anatomical term for the soft, fleshy protuberance at the back of the mouth, hanging down from the velum. The adjective uvular describes sounds made by raising and retracting the tongue towards the uvula: for example, the uvular fricative /r/, the r grasseyé of Parisian Franch. See R-SOUNDS, SPEECH.

uvula

views updated May 18 2018

uvula (yoov-yoo-lă) n. a small soft extension of the soft palate that hangs from the roof of the mouth above the root of the tongue. It is composed of muscle, connective tissue, and mucous membrane.

uvula

views updated May 21 2018

uvula The pendular downward projection from the middle of the soft palate which helps to close off the back of the nasal cavity above it, during the complex movements of swallowing.

Stuart Judge

uvula

views updated May 11 2018

uvula fleshy part of the soft palate. XIV. — late L. ūvula, dim. of L. ūva grape; see -ULE.