Fauces
/ˈfɔːsiːz/noun
The passage connecting the mouth and throat, especially the area behind the oral cavity.
Did you know?In Latin, fauces could mean both the throat and a narrow entrance or defile, linking the human mouth with a perilous passageway.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European, uncertain
PIE
Possibly *gʷʰewh₁-
“A proposed root associated with the throat or swallowing; the connection is debated.”
Ancient Latin
Latin
fauces
“The throat, jaws, or opening of the mouth; also a narrow passage or entrance.”
Classical Latin
Latin
faux
“A throat or constricted opening, a related singular form.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
fauces
“The throat or entrance to the pharynx, preserved in anatomical writing.”
Modern English
English
fauces
“The anatomical passage between the mouth and pharynx.”