trachea
[ trey-kee-uh or, esp. British, truh-kee-uh ]
/ ˈtreɪ ki ə or, esp. British, trəˈki ə /
noun, plural tra·che·ae [trey-kee-ee or, esp. British, truh-kee-ee] /ˈtreɪ kiˌi or, esp. British, trəˈki i/, tra·che·as.
Anatomy, Zoology.
the tube in humans and other air-breathing vertebrates extending from the larynx to the bronchi, serving as the principal passage for conveying air to and from the lungs; the windpipe.
(in insects and other arthropods) one of the air-conveying tubes of the respiratory system.
Botany.
vessel(def 5).
Origin of trachea
1350–1400; Middle English
trache < Medieval Latin
trāchēa, for Late Latin
trāchīa < Greek
trācheîa, short for
artēría trācheîa rough artery, i.e., windpipe
Words nearby trachea
traceried,
tracery,
traces,
traceur,
trache-,
trachea,
tracheal,
tracheal cartilage,
tracheal muscle,
tracheal ring,
tracheal tube
Example sentences from the Web for trachea
British Dictionary definitions for trachea
trachea
/ (trəˈkiːə) /
noun plural -cheae (-ˈkiːiː)
anatomy zoology
the membranous tube with cartilaginous rings that conveys inhaled air from the larynx to the bronchi
Nontechnical name: windpipe
any of the tubes in insects and related animals that convey air from the spiracles to the tissues
botany another name for vessel (def. 5), tracheid
Derived forms of trachea
tracheal or tracheate, adjectiveWord Origin for trachea
C16: from Medieval Latin, from Greek
trakheia, shortened from (
artēria)
trakheia rough (artery), from
trakhus rough
Medical definitions for trachea
trachea
[ trā′kē-ə ]
n. pl. tra•che•as
The airway that extends from the larynx into the thorax where it divides into the right and left bronchi. It is composed of thin incomplete rings of hyaline cartilage connected by a membrane called the annular ligament.
windpipe
Other words from trachea
tra′che•al adj.Scientific definitions for trachea
trachea
[ trā′kē-ə ]
Plural tracheae (trā′kē-ē′) tracheas
The tube in vertebrate animals that leads from the larynx to the bronchial tubes and carries air to the lungs. In mammals the trachea is strengthened by rings of cartilage. Also called windpipe
Any of the tiny tubes originating from the spiracles of many terrestrial arthropods and forming a branching network that brings air directly to body cells.
Cultural definitions for trachea
trachea
[ (tray-kee-uh) ]
The tube connecting the mouth to the bronchial tubes that carries air to the lungs; the windpipe.