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Epiglottis vs Oesophagus - What's the difference?

epiglottis | oesophagus |

In anatomy terms the difference between epiglottis and oesophagus

is that epiglottis is a cartilaginous organ in the throat of terrestrial vertebrates covering the glottis when swallowing to prevent food and liquid from entering the trachea, and in Homo sapiens also a speech organ while oesophagus is the tube that carries food from the pharynx to the stomach.

epiglottis

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (anatomy) A cartilaginous organ in the throat of terrestrial vertebrates covering the glottis when swallowing to prevent food and liquid from entering the trachea, and in Homo sapiens also a speech organ.
  • My epiglottis is full of bees!

    Derived terms

    * epiglottal * epiglottic * epiglottitis

    See also

    * * (commonslite)

    oesophagus

    English

    Alternative forms

    * esophagus (US spelling) * (older UK spelling)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (anatomy) The tube that carries food from the pharynx to the stomach.
  • Synonyms

    * gullet * weasand

    Derived terms

    * oesophageal * oesophagectomy * oesophagitis

    See also

    * (oesophagus) English nouns with irregular plurals