esophagus

noun

esoph·​a·​gus i-ˈsä-fə-gəs 

plural esophagi i-ˈsä-fə-ˌgī  -ˌjī 

: a muscular tube that conveys food from the mouth to the stomach and that in humans is about nine inches (23 centimeters) long and passes from the pharynx down the neck between the trachea and the spinal column and behind the left bronchus where it pierces the diaphragm slightly to the left of the middle line and joins the cardiac end of the stomach

esophageal

i-ˌsä-fə-ˈjē-əl 

adjective

Examples of esophagus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Beer: The carbonation in beer can relax the LES and increase acid flow into the esophagus. —Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Ld, Health, 2 Feb. 2025

Indeed, research has directly linked high fruit and veg intake with a lower risk of colorectal, breast, and lung cancers, and emerging evidence suggests a plant-heavy diet can cut your risks of stomach, mouth, throat, and esophagus cancers, too. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Jan. 2025

Jones and colleagues found one example of protection in the human esophagus. —Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025

Overall, people who had one drink a day had a 40% higher risk of developing any of seven types of cancer—mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, breast, liver, and colorectal—compared to those who didn’t drink at all. —Alice Park, TIME, 4 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ysophagus, from Medieval Latin ysofugus, from Greek oisophagos, from oisein to be going to carry + phagein to eat — more at baksheesh

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

esophagus

noun

esoph·​a·​gus i-ˈsäf-ə-gəs 

plural esophagi -ˌgī 

-ˌjī

: a muscular tube that leads from the cavity behind the mouth to the stomach

esophageal

-ˌsäf-ə-ˈjē-əl 

adjective

Medical Definition

esophagus

noun

esoph·​a·​gus

variants or chiefly British oesophagus

i-ˈsäf-ə-gəs 

plural esophagi -ˌgī  -ˌjī 

: a muscular tube that in adult humans is about nine inches (23 centimeters) long and passes from the pharynx down the neck between the trachea and the spinal column and behind the left bronchus where it pierces the diaphragm slightly to the left of the middle line and joins the cardiac end of the stomach