trachea

noun

tra·chea | \ˈtrā-kē-ə

plural tracheae\ˈtrā-kē-ˌē,

-kē-ˌī \ also tracheas or trachea

Definition of trachea

1 : the main trunk of the system of tubes by which air passes to and from the lungs in vertebrates

2 [ New Latin, from Medieval Latin ] : vessel sense 3b also : one of its constituent cellular elements

3 [ New Latin ] : one of the air-conveying tubules forming the respiratory system of most insects and many other arthropods

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The 2011 Lancet paper, about the first artificial trachea implant, claimed the recipient had no complications 5 months after the surgery. — Gretchen Vogel, Science | AAAS, "Macchiarini guilty of misconduct, but whistleblowers share blame, new Karolinska Institute verdict finds," 26 June 2018 With gashes in her jugular vein and trachea bleeding profusely, Kidik showed Jacqueline Marciano, the building’s assistant property manager, how to apply pressure to her wounds to stanch the flowing blood. — Alison Kuznitz, courant.com, "'I Had Her Life In My Hands': Spectra Employees Recall Aiding Hartford Officer After Stabbing," 23 June 2018 Macchiarini was once heralded as a pioneer of regenerative medicine because of his experimental transplants of artificial tracheas that supposedly developed into functional organs when seeded with a patient’s stem cells. — Matt Warren, Science | AAAS, "Disgraced surgeon is still publishing on stem cell therapies," 27 Apr. 2018 Seven died, and the other two had to have the artificial tracheas replaced by conventional transplants. — Christopher Hartnick, STAT, "Taking risks in pursuit of innovation is good. So is preparing for it," 7 June 2018 In the studies, a larynx or trachea would be taken from a donor and all its cells removed using detergents and enzymes. — Matt Warren, Science | AAAS, "Two controversial stem cell trials could harm patients, critics say," 29 Mar. 2018 Over a five-year period, Macchiarini went on to implant the synthetic trachea in nine desperately ill patients. — Christopher Hartnick, STAT, "Taking risks in pursuit of innovation is good. So is preparing for it," 7 June 2018 Over time, the sedation was decreased, and respiratory tubes were switched from the mouth to the trachea. — Ellen Barry, New York Times, "Skripal Attack Scared U.K. Doctors: ‘We Were Expecting Them Not to Survive’," 29 May 2018 Kidik, a 12-year department veteran, was in critical condition after the stabbing, which occurred during a call to a landlord-tenant dispute at an apartment building on Constitution Plaza, left her with wounds to her jugular vein and trachea. — Nicholas Rondinone, courant.com, "As Details Emerge Of Violent Struggle, Hartford Officer Jill Kidik Is 'Alert And Staying Strong'," 18 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'trachea.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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22 Sep 2018

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The first known use of trachea was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for trachea

trachea

noun

English Language Learners Definition of trachea

medical : a long tube in your neck and chest that carries air into and out of your lungs

See the full definition for trachea in the English Language Learners Dictionary

trachea

noun

tra·chea | \ˈtrā-kē-ə

plural tracheae\-kē-ˌē \

Kids Definition of trachea

1 : a stiff-walled tube of the respiratory system that connects the pharynx with the lungs

2 : a breathing tube of an insect that connects with the outside of the body and carries oxygen directly to the cells

trachea

noun

tra·chea | \ˈtrā-kē-ə, British also trə-ˈkē-ə\

plural tracheae\-kē-ˌē

\ also tracheas

Medical Definition of trachea

: the main trunk of the system of tubes by which air passes to and from the lungs that is about four inches (10 centimeters) long and somewhat less than an inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter, extends down the front of the neck from the larynx, divides in two to form the bronchi, has walls of fibrous and muscular tissue stiffened by incomplete cartilaginous rings which keep it from collapsing, and is lined with mucous membrane whose epithelium is composed of columnar ciliated mucus-secreting cells

— called also windpipe