epiglottis

Meanings

1. 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.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi Proto-Hellenic *epí Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí) Ancient Greek ἐπῐ- (epĭ-) Proto-Hellenic *glṓťťā Ancient Greek γλῶσσᾰ (glôssă) Ancient Greek -ῐς (-ĭs) Ancient Greek γλωσσῐ́ς (glōssĭ́s) Ancient Greek ἐπῐγλωσσῐ́ς (epĭglōssĭ́s) Ancient Greek ἐπῐγλωττῐ́ς (epĭglōttĭ́s)bor. New Latin epiglōttislbor. English epiglottis Borrowed from New Latin epiglōttis, from Ancient Greek ἐπῐγλωττῐ́ς (epĭglōttĭ́s, “valve covering the larynx”), from ἐπῐ- (epĭ-, “upon, over”) + γλωττῐ́ς (glōttĭ́s, “glottis, mouth of the windpipe”); equivalent to epi- (“upon; above”) + glottis.