depressor

[ dih-pres-er ]
/ dɪˈprɛs ər /

noun

a person or thing that depresses.
Surgery. an instrument for pressing down a protruding part, as a tongue depressor.
Anatomy.
  1. a muscle that draws down a part of the body, as the corner of the mouth.Compare levator.
  2. Also called depressor nerve. a nerve that, when stimulated, induces a decrease in activity, as a slowed heartbeat.

Origin of depressor

1605–15; < Late Latin, derivative of Latin dēprimere (see depress, -tor)

Words nearby depressor

depression, depression glass, depression, great, depressive, depressomotor, depressor, depressor fiber, depressor muscle of angle of mouth, depressor muscle of eyebrow, depressor muscle of lower lip, depressor muscle of septum

Example sentences from the Web for depressor

British Dictionary definitions for depressor

depressor
/ (dɪˈprɛsə) /

noun

a person or thing that depresses
any muscle that draws down a part
med an instrument used to press down or aside an organ or part a tongue depressor
Also called: depressor nerve any nerve that when stimulated produces a fall in blood pressure by dilating the arteries or lowering the heartbeat

Medical definitions for depressor

depressor
[ dĭ-prĕs′ər ]

n.

Any of various muscles that act by drawing down a part of the body.
Something that depresses or retards functional activity.
An instrument used to push certain structures out of the way during an operation or examination.
An agent that lowers blood pressure. hypotensor
A nerve that when stimulated acts to lower arterial blood pressure.