esophagus

e·soph·a·gus also oe·soph·a·gus  (-sf-gs)

n. pl. e·soph·a·gi also oe·soph·a·gi (-j, -g)

The muscular membranous tube for the passage of food from the pharynx to the stomach; the gullet.

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[Middle English isophagus, from Medieval Latin sophagus, from Greek oisophagos, arbitrary medical coinage perhaps from ois- : future tense stem of pherein, to carry + -phagos, food (unattested sense) (from phagein, to eat; see bhag- in Indo-European roots).]

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e·sopha·geal (-jl) adj.

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esophagus  (-sf-gs)

Plural esophagi (-sf-j, -g)

The muscular tube in vertebrates through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

esophagus - the passage between the pharynx and the stomach gullet, oesophagus, gorge passageway, passage - a path or channel or duct through or along which something may pass; "the nasal passages" muscle system, muscular structure, musculature - the muscular system of an organism alimentary canal, alimentary tract, digestive tract, digestive tube, gastrointestinal tract, GI tract - tubular passage of mucous membrane and muscle extending about 8.3 meters from mouth to anus; functions in digestion and elimination epicardia - the short part of the esophagus extending downward from the diaphragm to the stomach cardiac sphincter - the valve between the distal end of the esophagus and the stomach; the physiological sphincter at the esophagogastric junction