maxillary artery

maxillary artery (plural maxillary arteries)

1. (anatomy) An artery supplying the deep structures of the face (as the nasal cavities, palate, tonsils, and pharynx) and sending a branch to the meninges of the brain.

   Synonym: internal maxillary artery

   Hyponyms: accessory meningeal artery, anterior tympanic artery, buccal artery, deep auricular artery, deep temporal artery, descending palatine artery, inferior alveolar artery, infraorbital artery, masseteric artery, middle meningeal artery, posterior superior alveolar artery, sphenopalatine artery, Vidian artery

2. (anatomy, dated) Either of the two arteries supplying external and internal structures of the maxillary region.

   Meronyms: external maxillary artery, internal maxillary artery

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