Definition

A thin, flat muscle located in the cheek that helps with actions like chewing and blowing.

Example

The buccinator muscle plays an important role in keeping food between the teeth while chewing.

Conversation

I read something interesting about the buccinator muscle today.

Oh really? What does it do?

It's basically the muscle that helps form the wall of your cheek.

That's cool! I didn't know that was its function.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Buccinator → It is formed from "bucca" (meaning cheek) and "-tor" (a suffix indicating an agent or doer). The word "buccinator" refers to a muscle that compresses the cheek, hence it is the doer related to the cheek.

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'bucca' meaning cheek, and remember that a 'buccinator' is the muscle that works with the cheek.

Visually Confused Words