esophagus

[ ih-sof-uh-guhs, ee-sof- ]

noun

, Anatomy, Zoology.

, plural e·soph·a·gi [ih-, sof, -, uh, -jahy, gahy, ee-, sof, -].

1. a muscular passage connecting the mouth or pharynx with the stomach in invertebrate and vertebrate animals; gullet.

esophagus

/ iːˈsɒfəɡəs; iːˌsɒfəˈdʒiːəl /

noun

1. See oesophagus
   the US spelling of oesophagus

esophagus

/ ĭ-sŏf′ə-gəs /

, Plural esophagi ĭ-sŏf′ə-jī′,-gī′

1. The muscular tube in vertebrates through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach.

esophagus

1. The muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach and serves as a passageway for food. ( See digestive system .)

Derived Forms

• esophageal, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of esophagus¹

1350–1400; < New Latin oesophagus < Greek oisophágos gullet, literally, channel for eating ( oiso-, akin to oísein, future infinitive of phérein to carry + -phagos eating); replacing Middle English ysophagus < Medieval Latin

Example Sentences

While useful for muscle pain, these can cause problems anywhere along the GI tract, from the esophagus to the colon.

From Popular-Science

On top of that, anything that is long or sharp has the potential to scratch or tear the eater’s esophagus, the long tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.

From Popular-Science

The fossil and living nervous systems match up in their arrangements of nerves to the eyes and appendages, and show the same central opening for the esophagus to pass through.

From Singularity Hub 

The case currently before the Texas Supreme Court involves a 19-month-old toddler who suffered permanent damage to her esophagus when she ingested a lithium-ion battery that popped out of a knockoff remote control.

From Ars Technica

So, the reason I “got into” making gravy was I had to follow a strict soft food diet for a couple months this summer after scorching my esophagus.

From Eater

Through the mouth the animal ejects a part of the esophagus and envelops its prey, which is often of considerable size.

From Project Gutenberg

The food that is swallowed passes down the esophagus and enters the stomach.

From Project Gutenberg

Close to its posterior end the esophagus gives off three food reservoirs, two above and a single larger one below.

From Project Gutenberg

The respiratory system is represented by the anlage of the lungs, a longitudinal protrusion of the ventral wall of the esophagus.

From Project Gutenberg

In the same way American usage prefers esophagus, diarrhea and gonorrhea to the English oesophagus, diarrhoea and gonorrhoea.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• larynx