glossopharyngeal nerve

glos·so·pha·ryn·ge·al nerve   (glô'sō-fə-rĭn'jē-əl, -jəl, -fār'ən-jē'əl, glŏs'ō-)    n.  Either of the ninth pair of cranial nerves that contain both sensory and motor fibers and supply the tongue, soft palate, pharynx, and parotid gland. [Greek glōssa, tongue + pharyngeal.]

Main Entry: glossopharyngeal nerve
Function: noun
: a mixed nerve that is either of the ninth pair of cranial nerves, that has sensory fibers arising from the superiorand petrosal ganglia and motor fibers arising with those of the vagus nerve from the lateral wall of the medulla, and that supplies chiefly the pharynx, posterior tongue, and parotid gland with motorand sensory fibers including gustatory and autonomic secretory and vasodilator fibers called also glossopharyngeal, ninth cranial nerve

glossopharyngeal nerve n.
Either of a pair of nerves that emerge from the medulla, supply sensation to the pharynx and the back third of tongue, and carry motor fibers to the stylopharyngeal muscle and parasympathetic fibers to the otic ganglion. Also called ninth cranial nerve.