throat

1 of 2

noun

1
a(1)
: the part of the neck in front of the spinal column
(2)
: the passage through the neck to the stomach and lungs
b(1)
: voice
(2)
: the seat of the voice
2
: something resembling the throat especially in being an entrance, a passageway, a constriction, or a narrowed part: such as
a
: the orifice of a tubular organ especially of a plant
b
: the opening in the vamp of a shoe at the instep
c
: the part of a tennis racket that connects the head with the shaft
3
: the curved part of an anchor's arm where it joins the shank see anchor illustration

throat

2 of 2

verb

throated; throating; throats

transitive verb

1
: to utter in the throat : mutter
2
: to sing or enunciate in a throaty voice
Phrases
at each other's throats
: in open and aggressive conflict

Examples of throat in a Sentence

Noun My throat was dry so I took a sip of water. He held a knife to her throat. His shirt was open at the throat. He grabbed her by the throat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The respiratory virus transmits through droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected people, which can land directly on someone else’s nose or mouth or be spread through touching contaminated surfaces. Katia Hetter, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 The long notes ended after her father became addicted to menthols, developed debilitating respiratory problems and died at age 73 from lung and throat cancer. USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 Train to Busan is a full-throttle horror film, a kinetic action picture, a disaster film, and one of the only movies about the undead that may let you off with a lump in your throat. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 With allergies, the skin, ears and throat become itchy and drainage is watery and clear. Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 29 Feb. 2024 The report stated that the boyfriend then took a large gulp from his cup and his throat started to immediately burn. Stepheny Price, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2024 If a grown man and his mother are still somehow at each other’s throats or in each other’s business, that’s pathology. Mark Harris Keita Morimoto, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 In one case in 2022, a 15-year-old runaway broke into a nearby residence and cut the throat of a 77-year-old woman. The Indianapolis Star, 5 Mar. 2024 While a cause of death was not revealed, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer in January 2016. Caroline Brew, Variety, 3 Mar. 2024
Verb
Anaphylaxis symptoms occur suddenly and can progress quickly from a runny nose and a skin rash to throat tightness, trouble breathing, fainting, and cardiac arrest. Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 29 June 2023 The camera trains upward along the woman’s ruptured torso, her innards laid bare from pelvis to throat. Erik Morse, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2023 The actor Val Kilmer, who lost his voice to throat cancer in 2015, used an AI tool to re-create it. Will Oremus, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2023 Why may throat swabs help COVID-19 rapid tests give more accurate results? Dallas News, 6 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'throat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English throte, from Old English; akin to Old High German drozza throat

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of throat was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near throat

Cite this Entry

“Throat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throat. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

throat

noun
ˈthrōt
1
: the part of the neck in front of the spinal column
also : the passage through the neck to the stomach and lungs
2
: something (as an end part) that resembles the throat
throated
-əd
adjective

Medical Definition

throat

noun
1
: the part of the neck in front of the spinal column
2
: the passage through the throat to the stomach and lungs containing the pharynx and upper part of the esophagus, the larynx, and the trachea

More from Merriam-Webster on throat

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