Definition

Noun: - The larynx; a cartilaginous structure in the throat at the top of the trachea (windpipe) containing the vocal cords: The voice box is the organ responsible for producing sound for speech. It houses the vocal folds, which vibrate to create vocal tone when air from the lungs passes through them.

Usage

The term "voice box" is a common, non-technical synonym for the anatomical structure called the larynx. It is used in general, medical, and educational contexts. - The singer damaged her voice box after straining her vocals during the concert. - When you swallow, your epiglottis covers the opening to your voice box to prevent food from entering. - The doctor explained that the growth was on his larynx, or voice box.

Advanced Usage

• "To have a frog in one's voice box": An informal and playful variation of the idiom "to have a frog in one's throat," meaning to have a temporary hoarseness or difficulty speaking clearly.
  • After the long speech, he had a frog in his voice box and needed a drink of water.

Variants and Related Words

• Larynx (noun): The formal medical and anatomical term for the voice box.
• Vocal cords / Vocal folds (noun): The paired elastic bands of tissue within the larynx whose vibration produces sound.
• Glottis (noun): The part of the larynx consisting of the vocal cords and the opening between them.

Synonyms

• Larynx: The direct technical synonym.
• Adam's apple: Informally refers to the visible protrusion of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx, particularly in males.

Notes

• "Voice box" is a compound noun. It functions as a single conceptual unit referring to the organ of phonation.
• There are no specific phrasal verbs or common idioms that use "voice box" as a core component, apart from creative, non-standard adaptations like the example in "Advanced Usage."

Noun

1. a cartilaginous structure at the top of the trachea; contains elastic vocal cords that are the source of the vocal tone in speech