Laryngopharynx (Noun)
Meaning
The lower part of the pharynx.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The esophagus and trachea diverge from the laryngopharynx, a critical crossroads for food and air.
- In the laryngopharynx, sensory nerve fibres originate from cranial nerves that coordinate reflexes for swallowing.
- Voice box cancer that originates in the laryngopharynx is known as hypopharyngeal cancer.
- During swallowing, the epiglottis folds back to cover the entrance to the laryngopharynx, preventing food from entering the airway.
- The laryngopharynx is the area where the pharynx meets the larynx, or voice box, and the esophagus.