larynx

American  

[lar-ingks] / ˈlær ɪŋks /

noun

plural

larynges, larynxes

1. Anatomy. a muscular and cartilaginous structure lined with mucous membrane at the upper part of the trachea in humans, in which the vocal cords are located.

2. Zoology.

   1. a similar vocal organ in other mammals.

   2. a corresponding structure in certain lower animals.

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larynx British  

/ ˈlærɪŋks /

noun

1. a cartilaginous and muscular hollow organ forming part of the air passage to the lungs: in higher vertebrates it contains the vocal cords

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larynx Scientific  

/ lăr′ĭngks /

plural

larynges

1. The upper part of the trachea in most vertebrate animals, containing the vocal cords. The walls of the larynx are made of cartilage. Sound is produced by air passing through the larynx on the way to the lungs, causing the walls of the larynx to vibrate. The pitch of the sound that is produced can be altered by the pull of muscles, which changes the tension of the vocal cords.

2. Also called voice box

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larynx Cultural  

1. The specialized upper portion of the trachea that contains the vocal cords; the voice box.

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Etymology

Origin of larynx

1570–80; < New Latin < Greek lárynx

Compare meaning

How does larynx compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• pharynx vs. larynx
• larynx vs. trachea

Example Sentences

She has regular contact with her GP surgery as she is on thyroid medication after having half her larynx removed because of a benign tumour.

From BBC

I should first clarify for readers that in real life you don’t speak like the ghost of every British stage ham converged into one larynx.

From Los Angeles Times

Consultations with doctors eventually brought a brutal diagnosis: spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder in which the muscles in the larynx tighten or lapse into spasms, strangulating speech while making singing a significant challenge.

From New York Times

The results of the modelling, published in the journal Environmental Advances, have pinpointed hotspots in the human respiratory system where plastic particles can accumulate, from the nasal cavity and larynx and into the lungs.

From Science Daily

Less than a month into its Peace Out circuit, Aerosmith announced in a September 2023 statement that Tyler’s injury — a fractured larynx — was “more serious than initially thought.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• esophagus