pharynx

P3H4A1R1Y4N1X8
UK/ˈfa.ɹɪŋks/US/ˈfɛɹ.ɪŋks/US/ˈfæɹ.ɪŋks/

noun

The part of the alimentary canal and respiratory tract that extends from the back of the mouth and nasal cavity to the larynx and esophagus.

Similar
throat
OriginNew Latin pharynx ← Ancient Greek φάρυγξ (phárunx) ← Pre-Greek *?der.? →
UncommonScrabble 22
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Meanings

nounpharynx (plural pharynges or pharynxes)

plural pharynges · plural pharynxes

  1. anatomyThe part of the alimentary canal and respiratory tract that extends from the back of the mouth and nasal cavity to the larynx and esophagus.
  2. biologyThe part of the alimentary canal immediately behind the mouth in invertebrates that may be thickened and muscular, eversible and toothed, or adapted as a suctorial organ.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone

Similar
throat
Broader
tubular cavity
Also see
throat

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰruHg-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰerH-der.?
  3. Pre-Greek*?der.?
  4. Ancient Greekφάρυγξ (phárunx)
  5. New Latinpharynx
  6. Englishpharynx

Borrowing from New Latin pharynx, from Ancient Greek φᾰ́ρῠγξ (phắrŭnx, “throat”).

More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic بُلْعُوم
  • بُلْعُوم (bulʕūm)part of the alimentary canal
Bengali গলবিল
  • গলবিল (golbil)part of the alimentary canal
Bulgarian глътка, фаринкс
  • глътка (glătka)part of the alimentary canal
  • фаринкс (farinks)part of the alimentary canal
Catalan faringe
  • faringepart of the alimentary canal
Chinese Mandarin 咽頭 /咽头, 咽
  • 咽頭 /咽头 (yāntóu)part of the alimentary canal
  • 咽 (yān)part of the alimentary canal
Czech hltan
  • hltanpart of the alimentary canal
Danish svælg
  • svælgpart of the alimentary canal
Dutch farynx
  • farynxpart of the alimentary canal
Esperanto faringo
  • faringopart of the alimentary canal
Estonian neel, faarünks
  • neelpart of the alimentary canal
  • faarünkspart of the alimentary canal
Finnish nielu, farynks
  • nielupart of the alimentary canal
  • farynkspart of the alimentary canal
French pharynx
  • pharynxpart of the alimentary canal
German Rachen, Pharynx
  • Rachenpart of the alimentary canal
  • Pharynxpart of the alimentary canal
Greek φάρυγγας
  • φάρυγγας (fáryngas)part of the alimentary canal
Hebrew לֹעַ, בֵּית הַבְּלִיעָה
  • לֹעַ (lóa)part of the alimentary canal
  • בֵּית הַבְּלִיעָה (bet habli'á)part of the alimentary canal
Hungarian garat
  • garatpart of the alimentary canal
Icelandic kok
  • kokpart of the alimentary canal
Irish faraing
  • faraingpart of the alimentary canal
Italian faringe
  • faringepart of the alimentary canal
Japanese 咽頭
  • 咽頭 (intō)part of the alimentary canal
Korean 인두
  • 인두 (indu)part of the alimentary canal
Latin pharynx
  • pharynxpart of the alimentary canal
Malay farinks
  • farinkspart of the alimentary canal
Māori paeoro
  • paeoropart of the alimentary canal
Norwegian Bokmål svelg
  • svelgpart of the alimentary canal
Persian حلق, نایگلو
  • حلق (halq)part of the alimentary canal
  • نایگلو (nây-gelu)part of the alimentary canal
Polish gardło
  • gardłopart of the alimentary canal
Portuguese faringe
  • faringepart of the alimentary canal
Romanian faringe
  • faringepart of the alimentary canal
Russian фа́ринкс, зев
  • фа́ринкс (fárinks)part of the alimentary canal
  • зев (zev)part of the alimentary canal
  • гло́тка (glótka)part of the alimentary canal
  • горта́нь (gortánʹ)part of the alimentary canal
Slovak hltan
  • hltanpart of the alimentary canal
Spanish faringe
  • faringepart of the alimentary canal
Swedish svalg
  • svalgpart of the alimentary canal
Tagalog lalagukan
  • lalagukanpart of the alimentary canal
Tamil தொண்டைப்புரை
  • தொண்டைப்புரை (toṇṭaippurai)part of the alimentary canal
Thai คอหอย, ช่องคอ
  • คอหอย (kɔɔ-hɔ̌i)part of the alimentary canal
  • ช่องคอ (chɔ̂ng-kɔɔ)part of the alimentary canal
Turkish yutak
  • yutakpart of the alimentary canal
Vietnamese yết hầu
  • yết hầupart of the alimentary canal

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with pharynx

larynxnasopharynxoropharynxhypopharynxbuccopharynxelectrolarynxendolarynxepilarynxepipharynxglossopharynxhyolarynxhypolarynxlaryngopharynxorolarynxpresbylarynxretropharynxvelopharynx
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

pharynx. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pharynx

MLA

“pharynx.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pharynx. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pharynx,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pharynx.

Source: pharynx on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.