Meaning & use
esophagus
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablemedicalbiology
The tube that moves food and drink from the throat down to the stomach.
Grammar: Countable but usually singular with 'the' in medical writing: 'the esophagus'.
Patterns
- the esophagus
- a blocked esophagus
- cancer of the esophagus
Food passes down the esophagus in a few seconds.
The doctor found a narrow place in his esophagus.
Word forms
| plural | esophagi |
|---|---|
| plural | esophaguses |
Common combinations
- the lining of the esophagus
- Acid can damage the lining of the esophagus over time.
- esophageal cancer
- Smoking raises the risk of esophageal cancer.
- a narrowing of the esophagus
- The scan showed a narrowing of the esophagus.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gullet
- The everyday British word for the same tube; use it in general conversation rather than in a medical report.
- food pipe
- A plain, informal way to say it when explaining to a patient or child.
Word family
- esophageal adjective
- Relating to the esophagus, as in 'esophageal reflux'.
- esophagitis noun
- Inflammation of the esophagus.
Commonly confused: esophagus or trachea? esophagus or oesophagus?
esophagus vs trachea
The trachea is the windpipe that carries air to the lungs; the esophagus carries food and sits just behind it.
esophagus vs oesophagus
This is simply the British spelling of the same word, not a different organ.
Practice
After you swallow, food travels down the ___ to the stomach.
Choose one answer.
'Esophagus' is the tube for food. 'Trachea' carries air, 'esophagi' is plural, and the possessive form does not fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “esophagus”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.