SOFT PALATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does soft palate mean? 

• SOFT PALATE (noun)
  The noun SOFT PALATE has 1 sense:

1. a muscular flap that closes off the nasopharynx during swallowing or speaking

  Familiarity information: SOFT PALATE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SOFT PALATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A muscular flap that closes off the nasopharynx during swallowing or speaking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

soft palate; velum

Hypernyms ("soft palate" is a kind of...):

flap (a movable piece of tissue partly connected to the body)

Meronyms (parts of "soft palate"):

uvula (a small pendant fleshy lobe at the back of the soft palate)

Holonyms ("soft palate" is a part of...):

palate; roof of the mouth (the upper surface of the mouth that separates the oral and nasal cavities)

 Context examples 

The soft flap of tissue that hangs down at the back of the mouth (at the edge of the soft palate).

(Palatine uvula, NCI Dictionary)

A squamous cell carcinoma that arises from the hard or soft palate.

(Palate Squamous Cell Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

It includes the back third of the tongue, the soft palate, the side and back walls of the throat, and the tonsils.

(Oropharynx, NCI Dictionary)

Tissue that occupies the area between the soft palate and upper portion of the epiglottis.

(Oropharyngeal Tissue, NCI Thesaurus)

Cancer that forms in tissues of the oropharynx (the part of the throat at the back of the mouth, including the soft palate, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils).

(Oropharyngeal cancer, NCI Dictionary)

The part of the pharynx between the soft palate and the upper portion of the epiglottis.

(Oropharynx, NCI Thesaurus)

A carcinoma that arises from the hard or soft palate.

(Palate Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A benign or malignant neoplasm that affects the hard palate, soft palate, or uvula.

(Palate Neoplasm, NCI Thesaurus)

The part of the pharynx in the back of the throat, at and above the soft palate.

(Nasopharynx, NCI Thesaurus)

The front portion is bony (hard palate), and the back portion is muscular (soft palate).

(Palate, NCI Dictionary)