Pharynx

//ˈfa.ɹɪŋks// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·College level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The part of the alimentary canal and respiratory tract that extends from the back of the mouth and nasal cavity to the larynx and esophagus.
  2. 2
    the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone wordnet
  3. 3
    The part of the alimentary canal immediately behind the mouth in invertebrates that may be thickened and muscular, eversible and toothed, or adapted as a suctorial organ.

Example

More examples

"Pharyngeal sounds are made in the pharynx."

Etymology

Borrowing from New Latin pharynx, from Ancient Greek φᾰ́ρῠγξ (phắrŭnx, “throat”).

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.