Wordsmith.Org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ



Mar 17, 2011
This week's theme
Seventeen-letter words to mark Wordsmith.org's septendecennial

This week's words
predestinarianism
triskaidekaphobia
contradistinguish
laryngopharyngeal
perspicaciousness

Larynx and pharynx
Larynx and pharynx
Illustration: National Cancer Institute

Discuss
Feedback
RSS/XML
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

laryngopharyngeal

PRONUNCIATION:
(luh-ring-goh-fuh-RIN-jee-uhl, -juhl)

MEANING:
adjective: Of or relating to the larynx (the part of the throat holding the vocal cords) and pharynx (the part of the throat that leads from the mouth to the esophagus).

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin larynx, from Greek larynx + Latin pharynx, from Greek pharynx (throat). Earliest documented use: 1872.

NOTES:
If you have heard this term, chances are it was in the context of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), a condition in which the contents of the stomach flow back to the throat.

USAGE:
"Under the heading of laryngopharyngeal disorders we discover that oboists and horn players can be prone to nasal speech, regurgitation of liquids and snorting while playing, all a result of the high pressures they must employ to hit their notes."
Not Quite So Perilous in the Orchestra Pit; Nelson Mail (New Zealand); Feb 25, 2009.

See more usage examples of laryngopharyngeal in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Think of the poorest person you have ever seen and ask if your next act will be of any use to him. -Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith