Bronchus
/ˈbrɒŋ.kəs/noun
Either of the two main air passages that branch from the trachea to the lungs.
Did you know?Bronchus ultimately comes from Greek bronchós, a word used for the throat and windpipe, showing how ancient anatomy was named from what could be seen, heard, and felt in breath itself.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
brónkhos / brónchos
“throat, windpipe”
Late Latin
Latin
bronchus
“windpipe; bronchus”
Medieval Latin
Latin
bronchius
“one of the air tubes leading from the windpipe”
16th Century
English
bronchus
“a bronchial tube, especially one of the main branches of the trachea”
Modern English
English
bronchus
“either of the two main air passages from the trachea into the lungs”
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