levator veli palatini

noun

levator ve·​li pal·​a·​ti·​ni -ˈvē-ˌlī-ˌpal-ə-ˈtī-ˌnī 

: a muscle arising from the temporal bone and the cartilage of the eustachian tube and descending to insert into the midline of the soft palate which it elevates especially to close the nasopharynx while swallowing is taking place to prevent regurgitation of liquid or solid matter through the nose