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La Le Li Lo Lu Ly
Lab Lac Lam Lan Lar Lat

Larynx

/ˈlariNGks/  /ˈler-/

Noun, pl. larynges, larynxes

1. An organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume. The larynx houses the vocal folds (vocal cords), which are essential for phonation. (wikipedia.org)

2. An organ of the neck of mammals involved in breath control, protection of the trachea and sound production, housing the vocal cords, and that is situated at the point where the upper tract splits into the trachea and the oesophagus/esophagus. (wiktionary.org)

3. A cartilaginous structure at the top of the trachea; contains elastic vocal cords that are the source of the vocal tone in speech. (wordnetweb.princeton.edu)

Syn: voice box

Word origin: From Middle French larynx (16c.), from Modern Latin, from Greek larynx (genitive laryngos) “the upper windpipe,” probably from laimos “throat,” influenced by pharynx “throat, windpipe.”