depressor

[ dih-pres-er ]

noun

1. a person or thing that depresses.
2. Surgery. an instrument for pressing down a protruding part, as a tongue depressor.
3. Anatomy.
   1. a muscle that draws down a part of the body, as the corner of the mouth. Compare levator.
   2. Also called depressor nerve. a nerve that, when stimulated, induces a decrease in activity, as a slowed heartbeat.

depressor

/ dɪˈprɛsə /

noun

1. a person or thing that depresses
2. any muscle that draws down a part
3. med an instrument used to press down or aside an organ or part

   a tongue depressor

4. Also calleddepressor nerve any nerve that when stimulated produces a fall in blood pressure by dilating the arteries or lowering the heartbeat

Word History and Origins

Origin of depressor¹

1605–15; < Late Latin, derivative of Latin dēprimere ( depress, -tor )

Example Sentences

"Some were friendly, others lacked bedside manners, one even came and inspected me with a wooden tongue depressor," Rhiannon explained.

From BBC

Probably wise that it is set in the titular emergency response vehicle, ensuring easy access during shooting to defibrilllators and tongue depressors.

From Los Angeles Times

Established in 1919, Puritan began as a producer of mint toothpicks, eventually branching out to frozen pop sticks, wooden ice cream spoons, tongue depressors and, eventually, swabs.

From Washington Post

As Asma helped arrange paper flowers in a basket on the dining room table, Aqsa — who wore a plastic stethoscope around her neck — used a tongue depressor to check inside Gulsom’s mouth.

From Los Angeles Times

“Use a tongue depressor and pack the honey into the wound,” Peterson says.

From New York Times