tracheotomy

T1R1A1C3H4E1O1T1O1M3Y4

noun

A surgical procedure in which an incision is made into the trachea, through the neck, and a tube inserted so as to make an artificial opening in order to assist breathing.

Similar
tracheostomy
OriginAncient Greek τέμνω (témnō) ← Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- ← English tracheo- →
UncommonScrabble 21
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Meanings

nountracheotomy (plural tracheotomies)

plural tracheotomies · alternative tracheostomy

  1. medicineA surgical procedure in which an incision is made into the trachea, through the neck, and a tube inserted so as to make an artificial opening in order to assist breathing.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna surgical operation that creates an opening into the trachea with a tube inserted to provide a passage for air; performed when the pharynx is obstructed by edema or cancer or other causes

Similar
tracheostomy
Broader
operationsurgerysurgical operation
Also see
tracheostomy

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dʰreh₂gʰ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dʰréh₂gʰus
  3. Proto-Hellenic*tʰrākʰús
  4. Ancient Greekτρᾱχεῖᾰ (trākheîă)
  5. Late Latintrāchīa
  6. Medieval Latintrāchēa
  7. Englishtrachea
  8. Englishtracheo-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*temh₁-
  10. Ancient Greekτέμνω (témnō)
  11. Englishtracheotomy

From tracheo- + -tomy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan traqueotomia
  • traqueotomiasurgery to insert a tube into the neck
French trachéotomie
  • trachéotomiesurgery to insert a tube into the neck
German Luftröhrenschnitt
  • Luftröhrenschnittsurgery to insert a tube into the neck
Italian tracheotomia
  • tracheotomiasurgery to insert a tube into the neck
Russian трахеотоми́я
  • трахеотоми́я (traxeotomíja)surgery to insert a tube into the neck
Spanish traqueotomía
  • traqueotomíasurgery to insert a tube into the neck
Cite this entry
APA

tracheotomy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tracheotomy

MLA

“tracheotomy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tracheotomy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tracheotomy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tracheotomy.

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