How to Pronounce Pterygomaxillary Fissure
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Pterygomaxillary Fissure Pronunciation
ter-ih-goh-mak-SIL-air-ee FISH-er
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
ter
ih
goh
mak
SIL
stress here
air
ee FISH
er
8 syllables
What is Pterygomaxillary Fissure?
The gap between the pterygoid process of the sphenoid and the back of the maxilla that provides access to the pterygopalatine fossa. Blood vessels and nerves pass through this fissure between the skull base and the oral/nasal regions.
Questions About Pterygomaxillary Fissure
How do you pronounce pterygomaxillary fissure?
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Say it like this: ter-ih-goh-mak-SIL-air-ee FISH-er. The stress falls on the third syllable of the first word (SIL), so you say it a bit louder and longer than the other syllables. The second word, "fissure," rhymes with "fisher."
What does pterygomaxillary break down into?
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The word has two main parts: "pterygomaxillary" (5 syllables) and "fissure" (2 syllables). For the first part, break it as: pter-y-go-max-il-lar-y. "Fissure" breaks into: fis-sure.
What's the most common mistake when saying this word?
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Many people stress the wrong syllable and say pter-ih-goh-mak-sil-AIR-ee instead of ter-ih-goh-mak-SIL-air-ee. Remember: the stress goes on the SIL part, not the end of the word.
What do the word parts pterygomaxillary mean?
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"Pterygoid" comes from Greek and means "wing-shaped," referring to a part of a bone in your skull. "Maxillary" refers to your upper jaw bone. So pterygomaxillary describes a space between a wing-shaped bone part and the upper jaw.
What does fissure mean in plain English?
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A fissure is simply a narrow crack or gap. So a pterygomaxillary fissure is a small opening or space in your skull between two bone structures.
Are there shorter ways to say this term?
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Yes, doctors sometimes call it the PTM fissure (for pterygomaxillary), which you say by spelling out the letters: P-T-M. Some also refer to it simply as "the fissure" when the context is clear.
What other medical words share the root pterygoid?
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You might hear "pterygoid muscle" or "pterygoid process"—both refer to different parts of that same wing-shaped bone structure. "Pterygopalatine" is another related term that describes the fossa (space) this fissure leads to.
Can you use this word in a sentence?
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Here's an example: "The anatomy textbook showed us where the pterygomaxillary fissure is located on the skull model." It's used when describing the location and structure of this opening.