trachea

noun

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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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Examples of trachea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The study authors adeptly captured Nesyamun’s from his lips back down to the trachea. — Ben Guarino, Anchorage Daily News, "A 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy speaks again, with high-tech help," 24 Jan. 2020 Sunday the 49ers simply ran the football down the Packers’ trachea. — Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, "49ers surf, dance and spike their way to the Super Bowl," 19 Jan. 2020 During an intubation, a tube is inserted through the mouth and visually guided down into the trachea, to deliver oxygen to the lungs. — BostonGlobe.com, "ProPublica Local Reporting Network," 3 Dec. 2019 During an intubation, a tube is inserted through the mouth and visually guided down into the trachea, to deliver oxygen to the lungs. — Lynn Arditi, ProPublica, "A Misplaced Breathing Tube Can Be Fatal. New Studies Suggest They Should Be Used Less Often.," 3 Dec. 2019 Next, the glottis snaps shut, putting a lid over the trachea, or windpipe. — Howard Lewine, sun-sentinel.com, "A lingering cough should be checked by doctor," 2 Oct. 2019 The alleged assault occurred amid mounting frustration in the operating room after Lenkovsky and a surgeon made repeated, unsuccessful attempts to insert a breathing tube into a patient’s trachea, Murphy told VA police. — Brian Macquarrie, BostonGlobe.com, "At VA hospital, swirling accusations of harassment, retaliation, and negligence," 28 July 2019 Surgeons with the University of Colorado planned to remove a section of Giellis’ trachea and voice box to alleviate a condition known as tracheal stenosis. — Andrew Kenney, The Denver Post, "Former Denver mayor candidate Jamie Giellis undergoes throat surgery," 18 June 2019 When Rodriguez, 31, got medical attention for Wilson on May 30, a veterinarian found that the small entry wound from the pellet was healing but the pellet itself was lodged dangerously close to the cat’s spinal column and trachea. — Doug Phillips, sun-sentinel.com, "Kitty cruelty: Who shot Wilson the cat with a BB gun?," 20 June 2019

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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Last Updated

27 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Trachea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trachea. Accessed 26 Feb. 2020.

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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

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