tracheal

American  

[trey-kee-uhl, truh-kee-uhl] / ˈtreɪ ki əl, trəˈki əl /

adjective

1. Anatomy, Zoology. pertaining to or connected with the trachea or tracheae.

2. Botany. of the nature of or composed of tracheae or vessels.

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Other Word Forms

• posttracheal
  adjective
• pretracheal
  adjective
• transtracheal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tracheal

First recorded in 1700–10; trache(a) + -al ¹

Explanation

Anything tracheal has something to do with the trachea, or windpipe. A tracheal obstruction makes it hard to breathe. All tracheal things relate to the tube that connects your larynx to your two primary bronchi, just before your lungs. When doctors need to intervene to help a patient breathe, they'll frequently do a tracheal intubation, inserting a tube into the trachea to keep the airway open. The Greek root of tracheal is trakheia, "rough," which describes the cartilage rings that form the trachea.

Example Sentences

The tumor had spread through the thyroid gland, onto the carotid artery and into the tracheal rings.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2024

A sudden throat tear, known medically as a "spontaneous tracheal perforation" is rare and can be potentially life-threatening.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2023

Gumuskaya put individual tracheal cells in a 3D scaffolding, made from rat tissue, which resembles the environment in the human trachea.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 29, 2023

A team of researchers led by Leipzig University has gained new insights into the respiratory system of fruit flies -- the so-called tracheal system -- which could be important for future research into aneurysms.

From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2023

The Hexapoda are all provided with a highly developed tracheal system, which presents considerable variation in regard to its stigmata or orifices of communication with the exterior.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 6 "Armour Plates" to "Arundel, Earls of" by Various