epiglottis

[ ep-i-glot-is ]

noun,plural ep·i·glot·tis·es, ep·i·glot·ti·des

[ep-i-glot-i-deez]. /ˌɛp ɪˈglɒt ɪˌdiz/. Anatomy.

a thin, valvelike, cartilaginous structure that covers the glottis during swallowing, preventing the entrance of food and drink into the larynx.

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Origin of epiglottis

1605–15; <Greek epiglōttís;see epi-, glottis

Other words from epiglottis

ep·i·glot·tal, ep·i·glot·tic, ep·i·glot·tid·e·an [ep-i-glo-tid-ee-uhn], /ˌɛp ɪ glɒˈtɪd i ən/, adjective
sub·ep·i·glot·tal, adjective
sub·ep·i·glot·tic, adjective

Words Nearby epiglottis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use epiglottis in a sentence

To this last statement the thyroid and cricoid cartilages and the epiglottis are exceptions, being single.
Voice Production in Singing and Speaking | Wesley Mills
On examination the mucous membrane round the epiglottis is seen to be enormously swollen.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 2 | Various
Chest, diaphragm, the closed epiglottis, and the raised palate all form a supply chamber for the breath.
How to Sing | Lilli Lehmann
Removal of a portion of the epiglottis occasionally gives great relief to a patient who is suffering from dysphagia.
A System of Operative Surgery, Volume IV (of 4) | Various
Extrinsic localized malignant tumours which are attached to the epiglottis, or to the aryteno-epiglottic fold.
A System of Operative Surgery, Volume IV (of 4) | Various

British Dictionary definitions for epiglottis

epiglottis

/ (ˌɛpɪˈɡlɒtɪs) /

nounplural -tises or -tides (-tɪˌdiːz)

a thin cartilaginous flap that covers the entrance to the larynx during swallowing, preventing food from entering the trachea

Derived forms of epiglottis

epiglottal or epiglottic, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for epiglottis

epiglottis

[ ĕp′ĭ-glŏt′ĭs ]

A thin, triangular plate of cartilage at the base of the tongue that covers the glottis during swallowing to keep food from entering the trachea.

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