pharynx

American  

[far-ingks] / ˈfær ɪŋks /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

pharynges, pharynxes

1. the tube or cavity, with its surrounding membrane and muscles, that connects the mouth and nasal passages with the esophagus.

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pharynx British  

/ ˈfærɪŋks /

noun

1. the part of the alimentary canal between the mouth and the oesophagus Compare nasopharynx

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pharynx Scientific  

/ făr′ĭngks /

plural

pharynges

1. The passage that leads from the cavities of the nose and mouth to the larynx (voice box) and esophagus. Air passes through the pharynx on the way to the lungs, and food enters the esophagus from the pharynx.

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Etymology

Origin of pharynx

1685–95; < New Latin < Greek phárynx throat, akin to pháranx gulf, chasm

Compare meaning

How does pharynx compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• pharynx vs. larynx

Explanation

The pharynx is the part of your throat right behind your mouth. If you have a sore throat, tell your mom you have an inflamed pharynx. It sounds more impressive and might get you out of doing the dishes. You might not know it, but you use your pharynx all day long. It's the muscular tube in the front of your neck that lets you take in both air and food. When you eat, food moves through your pharynx to your esophagus and then to your stomach. When you breathe, air is taken in through your nose and then moves through the pharynx to the trachea and, finally, to your lungs.

Example Sentences

She does this in order to pick her nose, before licking the mucus, as scientists confirmed by observation followed by CAT scan to determine that the chopstick-like digit reaches all the way to the pharynx.

From Salon • May 11, 2025

He said “there is also the possibility that virus could enter via the tonsils in the pharynx of the cats prior to ingestion in both the bird consumption and milk consumption scenarios.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2024

Approximately 95% of the world's population is infected with EBV, which remains in the body permanently, typically in B lymphocytes, which are antibody-producing immune system cells, and cells lining the throat and pharynx.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2024

A singer’s vocal tone, or timbre, is shaped by the tissue in her mouth, tongue, pharynx and face, he said, adding that it was possible this tissue became more supple after pregnancy.

From New York Times • Jun. 28, 2023

Incidentally, another piece of tubing in the body, the Eustachian tube linking the middle ear to the pharynx, was also described around this time, by Bartolomeo Eustachio.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Related Words

• esophagus
• larynx