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Val·sal·va maneuver

(văl-sălvə, väl-sälvä)

1. Expiratory effort when the mouth is closed and the nostrils are pinched shut, which forces air into the eustachian tubes and increases pressure on the inside of the eardrum.

2. Expiratory effort against a closed glottis, which increases pressure within the thoracic cavity, causing decreased venous return of blood to the heart and a transient drop in blood pressure.

[After Antonio Maria Valsalva (1666-1723), Italian anatomist.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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