Definition

1. Noun:
   • A salivary gland: The submaxillary gland is one of the three major pairs of salivary glands in the human body. It is located beneath the lower jaw (mandible).
   • Producer of saliva: This gland produces a significant portion of saliva, particularly during rest or sleep (nocturnal saliva). It secretes a mixed fluid containing both serous (watery) and mucous (thick) components.
   • Anatomical location and function: The submaxillary gland discharges its saliva into the mouth through a duct that opens under the tongue.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The submaxillary gland can sometimes become blocked, leading to swelling and pain.
  • Saliva from the submaxillary gland helps begin the digestion of food.
  • The surgeon carefully avoided the submaxillary gland during the neck procedure.

Advanced Usage

• Clinical Context: In medical terminology, "submaxillary gland" is often used interchangeably with "submandibular gland," though the latter is now more common in precise anatomical and clinical contexts.
  • The ultrasound showed a stone in the duct of the submaxillary gland.

Variants and Related Words

• Submandibular gland (n): The modern anatomical term for the submaxillary gland. It is considered more precise.
• Submaxillary (adj): Pertaining to the area beneath the lower jaw. For example, "submaxillary triangle."
• Salivary gland (n): The general category of glands that secrete saliva, which includes the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular (submaxillary) glands.

Synonyms

• Submandibular gland: The direct synonym and more contemporary term.
• Mandibular salivary gland: A descriptive synonym emphasizing its location near the mandible.

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Wharton's duct: The specific name for the duct that carries saliva from the submaxillary gland to the floor of the mouth.
• Sialolithiasis: The medical condition of having stones (calculi) in a salivary gland or its duct, which commonly affects the submaxillary gland.

Noun

1. a salivary gland inside the lower jaw on either side that produces most of the nocturnal saliva; discharges saliva into the mouth under the tongue