n.
Pronunciation: ' tr ā -k ē - ə
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -che · ae \ -k ē - ˌ ē , -k ē - ˌ ī \ also -che · as or -chea
Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Late Latin trachia, from Greek tracheia ( art ē ria ) rough (artery), from feminine of trachys rough
Date: 14th century
1 : the main trunk of the system of tubes by which air passes to and from the lungs in vertebrates
2 [ New Latin, from Medieval Latin] : VESSEL 3B also : one of its constituent cellular elements
3 [New Latin] : one of the air-conveying tubules forming the respiratory system of most insects and many other arthropods
– tra · che · al \ -k ē - ə l \ adjective