From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The soft palate (also known as velum or muscular palate) is, in mammals, the soft tissue constituting the back of the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is distinguished from the hard palate at the front of the mouth in that it does not contain bone.rom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The soft palate (also known as velum or muscular palate) is, in mammals, the soft tissue constituting the back of the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is distinguished from the hard palate at the front of the mouth in that it does not contain bone.
Proximal: Toward the beginning, the nearer of two (or more) items. For example, the proximal end of the femur is part of the hip joint, and the shoulder is proximal to the elbow.The opposite of proximal is distal.For a more complete listing of terms used in medicine for spatial orientation, please see the entry to  Anatomic Orientation Terms .or example, the proximal end of the femur is part of the hip joint, and the shoulder is proximal to the elbow. The opposite of proximal is distal. For a more complete listing of terms used in medicine for spatial orientation, please see the entry to  Anatomic Orientation Terms .
Proximal and distal. Proximal refers to the end of a structure nearest a major point of reference and distal to the end furthest from a point of reference. The point of reference is usually the origin of a structure (such as a limb) or the ventral midline of the body. Proximal and distal are relative terms.These terms are correctly used to describe relative positions of structures in the limbs. Medial and lateral.ranial refers to the head end and caudal to the tail end. Anterior and posterior. In a quadruped the terms are synonymous with cranial and caudal. In a biped (Homo) anterior is used to indicate the ventral surface and posterior to indicate the dorsal surface.