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 longtime firefighter fell while in the water, and the tip of the foil wing sliced his neck, severing his trachea, according to initial reporting on the incident from Hawaii News Now. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026

Nelson kept his venison but provided abundant samples from his mule deer to ADFG, including the hide, head and neck, liver, heart, both lungs with the trachea attached, the spleen, the lower colon and two lower legs with hooves. —Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 3 June 2026

Boston Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall said recent early detection screening for roughly 1,500 firefighters revealed 637 high-risk cases, including, but not limited to aortic aneurysms; cancerous polyps and nodules on the trachea, thyroid and lungs; prostate cancer and lung cancer. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026

In supplements, chondroitin sulfate typically is made from bovine trachea or pork byproducts. —Carol Eustice, Verywell Health, 2 Feb. 2026

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