masseter
/maˈsiːtə
/(also masseter muscle)
noun Anatomy
A muscle which runs through the rear part of the cheek from the temporal bone to the lower jaw on each side and closes the jaw in chewing.There are thirty-two segments devoted to a particular muscle, such as temporalis, masseter, sternocleidomastoid, biceps brachii and so on....
- The jaw adductor muscles, masseter and temporalis, are small and architecturally simple.
- Forceful jaw closure is a function of these muscles; the masseter that runs from the cheek bone to the angle of the jaw can easily be felt bulging and hardening when the teeth are clenched.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Greek masētēr, from masasthai 'to chew'.