fauces

English

Etymology

Latin

Noun

fauces (plural only)

1. (anatomy) The narrow passage from the mouth to the pharynx, situated between the soft palate and the base of the tongue.
2. (botany) The throat of a calyx, corolla, etc.
3. (zoology) That portion of the interior of a spiral shell which can be seen by looking into the aperture.

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.

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Latin

Etymology

From the plural of faux, of unknown etymology. Traditionally however it has been related to Sanskrit भूक (bhūka) 'hole'. Cognate to Italian foce.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /ˈfaʊ.keːs/

Noun

faucēs (genitive faucium); f, pl, third declension

1. throat, gullet
2. a narrow entrance, entry passage

Inflection

The word is always plural, although a single instance of the nominative singular form faux is known.

Descendants

• English: fauces
• Italian: fauci
• Portuguese: fauce
• Spanish: fauces