Anatomy
esophagus Audio
e·soph·a·gus [ ih-sof-uh-guh s, ee-sof- ]
Subclass of:
Upper Gastrointestinal Tract
Etymology:
Greek oisophagos = gullet
Perhaps the Greek term was formed from oiso, the future tense of phero = to carry, and phagein = food.
Definitions related to esophagus:
  • Organ with organ cavity which is continuous proximally with the pharynx and distally with the stomach. Examples: There is only one esophagus.
    Digital Anatomist
    University of Washington, 2003
  • Organ with organ cavity, each instance of which is continuous superiorly with some pharynx and inferiorly with some stomach. Examples: There is only one esophagus.
    Foundational Model of Anatomy
    University of Washington, 2017
  • Portion of the digestive canal between the pharynx and stomach.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • The muscular membranous segment between the PHARYNX and the STOMACH in the UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • The muscular tube through which food passes from the throat to the stomach.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • The portion of the digestive canal between the pharynx and stomach. It is about 25 cm long and consists of three parts: the cervical part, from the cricoid cartilage to the thoracic inlet; thoracic part, from thoracic inlet to the diaphragm; and abdominal part, below the diaphragm to the cardiac opening of the stomach.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • The portion of the digestive tract between the pharynx and stomach.
    CDISC Terminology
    Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC), 2021
  • The tube that carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach.
    Harvard Dictionary of Health Terms
    Harvard Medical Publishing, 2011
  • The esophagus is the hollow tube that leads from the throat (pharynx) to the stomach. Food does not just fall through the esophagus into the stomach. The walls of the esophagus propel food to the stomach by rhythmic waves of muscular contractions called peristalsis.
    Merck Manuals
    Merck & Co., Inc., 2025
  • The esophagus is a 25-cm long muscular tube that connects the pharynx to the stomach. The length of the esophagus at birth varies between 8 and 10 cm and measures about 19 cm at age 15 years.
    Medscape
    WebMD, 2025
  • Esophagus, relatively straight muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus can contract or expand to allow for the passage of food. Anatomically, it lies behind the trachea and heart and in front of the spinal column; it passes through the muscular...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.