| Levator veli palatini | |
|---|---|
 Dissection of the muscles of the palate from behind. (Caption for Levator veli palatini visible at right, second from the top.) | |
 External and middle ear, opened from the front. Right side. (Levator veli palatini visible at bottom right.) | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Temporal bone, Eustachian tube |
| Insertion | Palatine aponeurosis |
| Artery | Facial artery |
| Nerve | Pharyngeal branch of vagus (CN X) |
| Actions | Elevates soft palate |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus levator veli palatini |
| TA98 | A05.2.01.102 |
| TA2 | 2128 |
| FMA | 46727 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The levator veli palatini (/lɪˈveɪtər ˈviːlaɪ ˌpæləˈtaɪnaɪ/) is a muscle of the soft palate and pharynx. It is innervated by the vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) via its pharyngeal plexus. During swallowing, it contracts, elevating the soft palate to help prevent food from entering the nasopharynx.