esophagus

[ ih-sof-uh-guhs, ee-sof- ]

noun

, Anatomy, Zoology.

, plural e·soph·a·gi [ih-, sof, -, uh, -jahy, gahy, ee-, sof, -].

1. a muscular passage connecting the mouth or pharynx with the stomach in invertebrate and vertebrate animals; gullet.

esophagus

/ iːˈsɒfəɡəs; iːˌsɒfəˈdʒiːəl /

noun

1. the US spelling of oesophagus

esophagus

/ ĭ-sŏf′ə-gəs /

, Plural esophagi ĭ-sŏf′ə-jī′,-gī′

1. The muscular tube in vertebrates through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach.

esophagus

1. The muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach and serves as a passageway for food. ( See digestive system .)

Derived Forms

• esophageal, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of esophagus¹

1350–1400; < New Latin oesophagus < Greek oisophágos gullet, literally, channel for eating ( oiso-, akin to oísein, future infinitive of phérein to carry + -phagos eating); replacing Middle English ysophagus < Medieval Latin

Example Sentences

Approximately 600 times a day, the esophagus ferries whatever is in your mouth down to your stomach.

From Los Angeles Times

The syndrome is caused by a quirk in the muscle that acts as the gatekeeper to the esophagus, the roughly 10-inch-long muscular tube that moves food between the throat and the stomach.

From Salon

However, May tore his esophagus — the muscular tube that passes food from the throat to the stomach — in a non-baseball setting.

From Los Angeles Times

This German study looked at 438 people with a type of cancer of the esophagus that can be treated with surgery.

From Seattle Times

Cincinnati Children's has been a leader in developing other types of organoids, including the world's first functional intestine, stomach and esophagus organoids.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• larynx