Throat Definition, Pronunciation, and Usage Examples

Meaning 1：neck passage (throat)

throat 🔊

/θroʊt/

the front part of your neck inside, where you swallow food and drink, and where air goes in and out when you breathe.

Close-up of open mouth showing throat and uvula anatomy

neck passage 🔊

➕

/nek ˈpæsɪdʒ/

The throat is the internal passage in the neck that carries food from the mouth to the esophagus and air to the windpipe.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'þrote', linked to 'throttle' (choke); first meant windpipe.

💡 Mnemonic

Throat = 'throttle' valve for air and food.

📖 Example

The doctor asked me to say ‘ah’ while she examined my sore throat with a small light. 🔊 The doctor asked me to say ‘ah’ while she examined my sore throat with a small light.

🔗 Collocations

sore throat – a painful or inflamed condition of the throat

clear one's throat – to cough or make a noise to remove mucus or get attention

lump in one's throat – a feeling of tightness in the throat due to strong emotion

🔄 Synonyms

pharynx (n.) – the membrane-lined cavity behind the nose and mouth, connecting to the esophagus

gullet (n.) – the passage by which food passes from the mouth to the stomach

windpipe (n.) – the passage that carries air from the throat to the lungs

🌱 Derivatives

throaty (adj.) – having a deep, husky voice

throatily (adv.) – in a throaty manner

throatiness (n.) – the quality of being throaty

📖 Cultural Story

From Old English 'þrote' (windpipe). 'Throttle' shares the root, meaning to choke. Doctors often check the throat for infections.