respiratory tract

Cultural

The path that air follows as it is inhaled and directed into the lungs. The respiratory tract includes the nose and nasal passages, the throat and trachea, and the bronchial tubes.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This can put a strain on their respiratory tract, making them more susceptible to heatstroke.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

The legal case centered on Moderna’s Spikevax shot for Covid-19 and its mResvia vaccine, which prevents a type of lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

They tend to multiply in the lower respiratory tract, and in their usual hosts, such as ducks and seagulls, they often infect the gut.

From Science Daily • Nov. 28, 2025

There are actually more than 100 different viruses that cause upper and lower respiratory tract infections, plus some bacterial infections.

From BBC • Oct. 11, 2025

Even worse, however, was the injury to Doug’s respiratory tract.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023