trache(o)-
The trachea.
[Greek trakheia (artēria), rough (artery), from trakhus, rough.]
The trachea is the formal term for the windpipe. Tracheotomy (Greek -tomia, cutting), also tracheostomy (Greek stoma, mouth), is an incision in it to relieve an obstruction to breathing; tracheitis is inflammation of it. The eye disease trachoma derives from the same Greek root: the eyelashes turn inwards and roughen the surface of the eye, eventually leading to blindness if untreated.
Visit Michael Quinion’s World Wide Words site for 2000+ articles on English!
Copyright © Michael Quinion 2008–. All rights reserved. Page last updated 23 September 2008.
Your comments and suggestions on the site are very welcome.