palatine artery

noun

1

: either of two arteries of each side of the face:

a

: an inferior artery that arises from the facial artery and divides into two branches of which one supplies the soft palate and the palatine glands and the other supplies especially the tonsils and the eustachian tube

called also ascending palatine artery

b

: a superior artery that arises from the maxillary artery and sends branches to the soft palate, the palatine glands, the mucous membrane of the hard palate, and the gums

called also greater palatine artery

2

: any of the branches of the palatine arteries