maxillary artery

(anatomy) A branch of the external carotid artery which supplies the deep structures of the face (internal maxillary) and the side of the face and nose (external maxillary).

(internal maxillary artery), arises from the external carotid artery just below the level of the mandibular neck in the substance of the parotid gland. Its many branches include the middle meningeal, lower alveolar, temporal, pterygoid, masseteric, and buccal arteries, and the posterior superior alveolar and infraorbital arteries.

An artery with its origin in the external carotid artery and branches to the deep auricular, anterior tympanic, middle meningeal, inferior alveolar, masseteric, deep temporal, buccal, superior posterior alveolar, infraorbital, descending palatine arteries, the artery of the pterygoid canal, and the sphenopalatine artery; internal maxillary artery.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: either of two arteries branching from the external carotid artery and supplying structure of the face
  Synonym: arteria maxillaris