Larynx

/ˈlæ.ɹɪŋks/ noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: A hollow muscular organ of the neck of mammals situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the oesophagus. It is involved in breath control and protection of the trachea, and, as it houses the vocal cords, sound production.
  • Grammar: larynx is listed as noun.
  • Nearest alternatives: voice box, alveolar ridge, alveolus, apex.
  • Useful contrasts: syrinx.
  • Usage evidence: The human voice is produced by the larynx.

How to use "larynx"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "larynx" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "larynx" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "larynx" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "larynx" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "larynx" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "voice box" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "larynx", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A hollow muscular organ of the neck of mammals situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the oesophagus. It is involved in breath control and protection of the trachea, and, as it houses the vocal cords, sound production.

    "There is one thing, among abundance of others, in Anatomy, which has always much affected me with Admiration, [...] It is the Situation and Elaſticity of the Epiglottis, a ſoft Cartilaginous Cover to the Larynx, or Orifice of the Wind-pipe; that this Epiglottis ſhould, all a Man's life, be drawn up, for the Benefit of Reſpiration, and fall down and ſhut, whilſt every bit we eat, and every drop we drink, paſſes over it into the Gullet and Stomach; and that we ſhould ſo ſeldom have Occaſion to cough up a crum, or drop, that may accidentaly ſlip into the Larynx; [...]"

  2. 2
    a cartilaginous structure at the top of the trachea; contains elastic vocal cords that are the source of the vocal tone in speech wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
voice boxalveolar ridgealveolusapexarytenoid cartilagesback

Antonyms

Example

"The human voice is produced by the larynx."

Common questions

What does "larynx" mean?

A hollow muscular organ of the neck of mammals situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the oesophagus. It is involved in breath control and protection of the trachea, and, as it houses the vocal cords, sound production.

What is a synonym for "larynx"?

Common synonyms include: voice box, alveolar ridge, alveolus, apex, arytenoid cartilages, back.

How do you use "larynx" in a sentence?

The human voice is produced by the larynx.

How do you pronounce "larynx"?

Pronounced /ˈlæ.ɹɪŋks/.

Etymology

Borrowed from New Latin larynx, from Ancient Greek λᾰ́ρῠγξ (lắrŭnx, “larynx; windpipe; gullet, throat”).

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