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soft palate
the fleshy part of the palate, arching downward from the hard palate to the throat, and separating the mouth and the pharynx. When a person swallows, the rear of the soft palate swings up against
the back of the pharynx and blocks the passage of food and air to the nose. A fleshy lobe called the uvula hangs from the middle of the back edge of the soft palate.

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