Meaning & use
pharynx
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablemedicaltechnical
The muscular passage at the back of the mouth and nose that carries air to the windpipe and food to the esophagus.
Grammar: Countable, with the plural pharynges or pharynxes: the pharynx is inflamed.
Patterns
- the pharynx of someone
Food passes through the pharynx on its way to the esophagus.
An infection can leave the pharynx red and painful.
The doctor looked at the back of her pharynx with a small light.
Word forms
| plural | pharynges |
|---|---|
| plural | pharynxes |
Common combinations
- the back of the pharynx
- The swab touched the back of the pharynx.
- inflammation of the pharynx
- Inflammation of the pharynx often causes a sore throat.
- muscles of the pharynx
- Swallowing relies on the muscles of the pharynx.
- cancer of the pharynx
- Smoking raises the risk of cancer of the pharynx.
Synonyms and how they differ
- throat
- It is the everyday word covering the pharynx and nearby areas, while pharynx names one precise anatomical part.
Word family
- pharyngeal adjective
- relating to the pharynx
- pharyngitis noun
- inflammation of the pharynx
- nasopharynx noun
- the upper part of the pharynx behind the nose
Commonly confused: pharynx or larynx?
pharynx vs larynx
The larynx is the voice box below the pharynx, containing the vocal cords; the pharynx is the passage above it.
Practice
Which structure is the passage at the back of the mouth shared by food and air?
Choose one answer.
The pharynx is the shared passage. The larynx is the voice box and the trachea is the windpipe.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pharynx”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.