Levator veli palatini



The levator veli palatini (/lᵻˈveɪtər ˈviːlaɪ ˌpæləˈtaɪnaɪ/) is the elevator muscle of the soft palate in the human body. During swallowing, it contracts, elevating the soft palate to help prevent food from entering the nasopharynx. It is innervated via the pharyngeal plexus, primarily by the pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve (CN X).