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vocal cords
plural noun
: either of two pairs of folds of mucous membranes that project into the cavity of the larynx and have free edges extending dorsoventrally toward the middle line
Examples of vocal cords in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Vitale announced in summer 2023 that cancer had spread to his vocal cords, and later to his lymph nodes, leaving him with battles against four types of cancer in a four-year span.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 19 Jan. 2025
Vitale then underwent surgery on his vocal cords in February 2022 after stopping his broadcasting duties at the start of the year due to his ongoing battle with Dysplasia on his vocal cords.
—Jenna West and Andrew Marchand, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
After waking up in the hospital with tubes in her throat to help her breathe, Adams had to learn how to speak again because of the strain on her vocal cords.
—Glenn E. Rice, Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2025
However, drinking more than a cup of tea daily was associated with a higher chance of getting laryngeal cancer — which forms in the larynx, the part of the throat that controls the vocal cords, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 25 Dec. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1757, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near vocal cords
Cite this Entry
“Vocal cords.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vocal%20cords. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
vocal cords
plural noun
: either of two pairs of elastic folds of tissue in the larynx of which the lower pair produce the voice when air exhaled from the lungs causes them to vibrate
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