windpipe

American  

[wind-pahyp] / ˈwɪndˌpaɪp /

noun

1. the trachea of an air-breathing vertebrate.

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windpipe British  

/ ˈwɪndˌpaɪp /

noun

1. a nontechnical name for trachea

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Etymology

Origin of windpipe

First recorded in 1520–30; wind ¹ + pipe ¹

Explanation

Your windpipe is the tube you use for breathing — it connects your larynx to your lungs. Every animal that uses lungs for breathing also has a windpipe. The windpipe is made of cartilage, and it allows air to flow freely in and out of your lungs. If your windpipe becomes inflamed or irritated, you'll cough, and if it's blocked by a wayward chunk of food you may need someone to pound hard on your back or give you the Heimlich maneuver to remove it. The medical term for windpipe is trachea.

Example Sentences

With the pressure inside my throat from the tube and the pressure outside the windpipe from my thyroid, maybe there was some damage to the nerves.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

Li, who suffers from a genetic degenerative condition that progressively weakens muscles, relies on a ventilator permanently connected to his windpipe to breathe, but grows celery with the help of his 62-year-old mother.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

At two months old, he had his first major surgery, a tracheostomy - a hole in his windpipe to give him an alternative airway for breathing.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2024

The larynx functions like an antechamber to the windpipe, or trachea, with a flap of tissue called the epiglottis keeping food and drink from falling down the windpipe.

From New York Times • Feb. 21, 2024

“Sorry . . . about . . . that,” the clown wheezed through his closing windpipe.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

Related Words

• esophagus
• larynx