soft palate

noun

: the fold at the back of the hard palate that partially separates the mouth from the pharynx

Examples of soft palate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Sniffing strength depends on the position of the soft palate, the tissue in the back of the mouth that controls airflow through the nasal passage. IEEE Spectrum, 10 Aug. 2010 About a quarter of the nondisabled volunteers screened for the study didn’t have enough control over their soft palates to use the device. IEEE Spectrum, 10 Aug. 2010 Palatal petechiae can be lesions or bruising on the soft palate of a person's mouth. Reven Widener, Health, 31 May 2023 The soft palate could be redundant and low-hanging and basically blocking the airway. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 29 June 2023 See all Example Sentences for soft palate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soft palate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soft palate was in 1749

Dictionary Entries Near soft palate

Cite this Entry

“Soft palate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soft%20palate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

soft palate

noun
: the membranous and muscular fold suspended from the posterior margin of the hard palate and partially separating the mouth cavity from the pharynx

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