pharyngeal

adjective

pha·​ryn·​geal ˌfer-ən-ˈjē-əl How to pronounce pharyngeal (audio)
fa-rən-;
fə-ˈrin-j(ē-)əl How to pronounce pharyngeal (audio)
: relating to or located or produced in the region of the pharynx

Examples of pharyngeal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Healthcare providers diagnosed the man with a pharyngeal rupture. Health Editorial Team, Health, 10 Nov. 2023 It was tested by manipulating a tongue depressor around the uvula, soft palate, and pharyngeal vault. Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 19 Dec. 2010 The spikey bits in the top middle are the pharyngeal teeth. Ariana Garcia, Chron, 15 Apr. 2023 In videos of the experiment, an eel hurls its body up a sandy ramp and grabs the piece of squid with its visible, standard-looking jaws only to suddenly slingshot the squid deeper into its mouth with an unseen flick of its second set of chompers, known as pharyngeal jaws. Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2021 Accidental cell phone ingestion with pharyngeal impaction. Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 16 Sep. 2015 Fortunately, the eel has come up with a neat strategy to circumvent this problem: an extra set of jaws, known as the pharyngeal jaws, located deep in its throat. Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010 Oral jaws are used to capture prey, while pharyngeal jaws located in the back of the mouth are used to chew and swallow. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 17 Nov. 2021 Their oral jaws are used to capture and crush prey while their pharyngeal jaws, which are positioned in their throats, are used to chew their food and move it from their mouths to the stomach. New York Times, 3 Nov. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pharyngeal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin pharyngeus "of the pharynx" (from Medieval Latin pharyng-, pharynx pharynx + Latin -eus -eous) + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1754, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pharyngeal was in 1754

Dictionary Entries Near pharyngeal

Cite this Entry

“Pharyngeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharyngeal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pharyngeal

adjective
: relating to, located in, or produced in the region of the pharynx

Medical Definition

pharyngeal

adjective
1
: relating to or located in the region of the pharynx
2
a
: innervating the pharynx especially by contributing to the formation of the pharyngeal plexus
the pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve
b
: supplying or draining the pharynx
the pharyngeal branch of the maxillary artery
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