tracheo-

American  

1. a combining form representing trachea in compound words.

   tracheotomy.

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tracheo- British  

combining form

1. denoting the trachea

   tracheotomy

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Usage

What does tracheo- mean? Tracheo- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “trachea.” The trachea is more commonly known as the windpipe; it is the part of the throat that conveys air to and from the lungs. It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy and pathology.Tracheo- comes from the Greek phrase artēría trācheîa, meaning “rough artery” or “windpipe” (trācheîa specifically meaning “rough”). A close Latin translation of trācheîa, meaning “rough,” is asper, meaning “jagged, rugged,” which is the source of asperity and exasperate. Find out what asperity and exasperate have to do with roughness at our entries for both words.What are variants of tracheo-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, tracheo- becomes trache-, as in tracheitis. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on trache-.