Epiglottis meaning

ĕpĭ-glŏtĭs
epiglottides epiglottises
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A thin, triangular plate of cartilage at the base of the tongue that covers the glottis during swallowing to keep food from entering the trachea.
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(anatomy) A cartilaginous organ in the throat of terrestrial vertebrates covering the glottis when swallowing to prevent food and liquid from entering the trachea, and in Homo sapiens also a speech organ.

My epiglottis is full of bees!

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The thin elastic cartilaginous structure located at the root of the tongue that folds over the glottis to prevent food and liquid from entering the trachea during the act of swallowing.
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The thin, triangular, lidlike piece of cartilage that folds back over the opening of the windpipe during swallowing, thus preventing food, etc. from entering the lungs.
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The thin elastic cartilaginous structure located at the root of the tongue that folds over the glottis to prevent food and liquid from entering the trachea during the act of swallowing.
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Origin of epiglottis

  • Greek epiglōttis epi- epi- glōttis glottis glottis

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • from New Latin, from Greek "epi-" on + "glottis"

    From Wiktionary

Epiglottis Sentence Examples

  • This embraces the base of the epiglottis, and, except while swallowing food, shuts off all communication between the cavity of the mouth and the pharynx, respiration being, under ordinary circumstances, exclusively through the nostrils.

  • Again, from different points of the cortex the assunIption of the requisite positions of the tongue, lips, cheeks, palate and epiglottis, as components in the act of sucking, can be provoked singly.

  • Epiglottitis is an infection and inflammation of the epiglottis.

  • Because epiglottitis involves swelling and infection of tissues, which are all located at or above the level of the epiglottis, it is sometimes referred to as supraglottitis (supra meaning above).

  • Because the epiglottis may swell considerably, there is a danger that the airway will be blocked off by the very structure designed to protect it.

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Words near epiglottis in the Dictionary