trachea

noun

tra·​chea ˈtrā-kē-ə 

plural tracheae ˈtrā-kē-ˌē 

-kē-ˌī

also tracheas or 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

tracheal

ˈtrā-kē-əl 

adjective

Examples of trachea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The larynx is a cartilage tube between the end of the tongue and the top of the trachea (windpipe). —Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 5 July 2025

Macchiarini developed the world's first artificial windpipe in 2011 using a plastic replica of a trachea that was soaked in a patient's stem cells to prevent the body from rejecting the transplanted replacement organ, per The New York Times. —Jessica Sager, People.com, 21 June 2025

An article from LiveScience, quoting veterinary behaviorist Nicholas Dodman, said that the arrangement of a cat's larynx, trachea and diaphragm is capable of producing a noise like a bark if the feline wishes to do so. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025

An investigation into her detention and death confirmed that some of her organs were missing in what some reports suggested was a move to conceal the extent of her torture, including her brain, eyes and part of the trachea. —Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Late Latin trachia, from Greek tracheia (artēria) rough (artery), from feminine of trachys rough

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for trachea

• tracheae

Kids Definition

trachea

noun

tra·​chea ˈtrā-kē-ə 

plural tracheae -kē-ˌē 

-kē-ˌī

also tracheas or trachea

1

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

called also windpipe

2

: one of the tiny air-carrying tubes that form the respiratory system of most insects and many other land-dwelling arthropods (as spiders)

tracheal

-kē-əl 

adjective

Medical Definition

trachea

noun

tra·​chea

ˈtrā-kē-ə, British also trə-ˈkē-ə

plural tracheae -kē-ˌē  also tracheas

: 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