oropharynx
Meaning of oropharynx: The oropharynx is the middle section of the throat, positioned behind the mouth and connecting the oral cavity to the lower throat and esophagus.
Definition of oropharynx
The oropharynx is the section of the throat located directly behind the oral cavity, forming the middle portion of the pharynx. It extends from the level of the soft palate down to the top of the epiglottis, and it includes the back third of the tongue, the soft palate, the tonsils, and the side and back walls of the throat.
The oropharynx serves as a shared passage for both air moving toward the lungs and food and liquid moving toward the esophagus, and the coordinated action of its muscles during swallowing helps direct food away from the airway.
The oropharynx sits between the nasopharynx above, which connects to the nasal cavity, and the laryngopharynx below, which connects to the larynx and esophagus, and conditions affecting the oropharynx, including infection or tumors involving the tonsils or base of tongue, can affect swallowing, speech, or breathing depending on their location and extent.
Used in a sentence
Examination of the oropharynx revealed swelling of the tonsils.
Good to know
The oropharynx is sometimes confused with the oral cavity in front of it, though the oropharynx specifically begins behind the soft palate and tonsils rather than at the lips or teeth.
Word origin
Where “oropharynx” comes from
Formed from Latin os, oris, meaning mouth, and Greek pharynx, meaning throat.