teres minor (muscle)

te·res mi·nor (mus·cle)

[TA]

intrinsic (scapulohumeral) muscle of shoulder joint, the tendon of which contributes to formation of the rotator cuff; origin, upper two thirds of the lateral border of scapula; insertion, lower facet of greater tuberosity of humerus; action, adducts arm and rotates it laterally; its tonic contraction helps to hold the head of the humerus in the shallow glenoid fossa; nerve supply, axillary (fifth and sixth cervical spinal nerves).

Synonym(s): musculus teres minor [TA]

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