stapedius

noun

sta·​pe·​di·​us stə-ˈpē-dē-əs 

plural stapedii -dē-ˌī 

: a small muscle of the middle ear that arises from the wall of the tympanum, is inserted into the neck of the stapes by a tendon that sometimes contains a slender spine of bone, and serves to check and dampen vibration of the stapes

called also stapedius muscle