Vallecula

An anatomic term for a crevice, furrow or depression. There are a variety of valleculae including one in the brain, another in the nail matrix, etc. However, used alone, the term "vallecula" usually applies to the epiglottic vallecula, a depression just behind the root of the tongue between the folds in the throat. "Vallecula" is the diminutive of the Latin "valles", valley so that a vallecula is literally a little valley.

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A crevice or depression on any surface, particularly the spaces between the epiglottis and the base of the tongue, right and left. SYN: valley. [L. dim. of vallis, valley]

- v. cerebelli [TA] a deep hollow on the inferior surface of the cerebellum, between the hemispheres, containing the medulla oblongata and the falx cerebelli. SYN: v. of cerebellum [TA], vallis.

- v. of cerebellum [TA] SYN: v. cerebelli.

- epiglottic v. [TA] a depression immediately posterior to the root of the tongue between the median and lateral glossoepiglottic folds on either side. SYN: v. epiglottica [TA].

- v. epiglottica [TA] SYN: epiglottic v..

- v. sylvii SYN: lateral cerebral fossa.

- v. unguis SYN: sulcus matricis unguis.

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val·lec·u·la va-'lek-yə-lə n, pl -lae -.lē an anatomical groove, channel, or depression: as

a) a groove between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis

b) a fossa on the underside of the cerebellum separating the hemispheres and including the inferior vermis

val·lec·u·lar -yə-lər adj

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n.

a furrow or depression in an organ or other part. On the undersurface of the cerebellum a vallecula separates the two hemispheres.

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val·lec·u·la (və-lekґu-lə) pl. vallecґulae [dim. of L. valles a hollow] 1. a depression or furrow. 2. v. epiglottica.