What does bronchus mean?
A bronchus (plural: bronchi) is one of the two principal tubes that carry air between the windpipe and the lungs. Arising where the trachea divides, the right and left bronchi channel every incoming and outgoing breath into the corresponding lung, then divide repeatedly into progressively finer branches that permeate the lung tissue. Because these passages are central to respiration, the word appears most often in medicine and anatomy — in discussions of infections such as bronchitis, of inhaled foreign objects, or of procedures like bronchoscopy. Though precise, it is a specialist term: everyday English favors looser words like 'airway' or 'windpipe.' Borrowed from Greek via Latin, 'bronchus' belongs to a family of respiratory terms including 'bronchial' and 'bronchiole,' and its classical plural 'bronchi' remains standard in professional usage. Knowing it makes medical news and anatomy far easier to follow.
nounA bronchus is one of the two main air passages that branch from the trachea (windpipe) into the lungs, carrying air in and out during breathing. The term also applies to the smaller successive branches of these airways within the lungs.
- Anatomy: either of the two main branches of the trachea that lead into the left and right lungs and conduct air to and from them.
- Anatomy, by extension: any of the smaller branching airways arising from these main tubes within the lung.
"The surgeon carefully examined the right bronchus before removing the obstruction."
"Inhaled particles are trapped by mucus lining the bronchus before they can reach the delicate lung tissue."
"During the procedure, the physician passed a thin scope through the bronchus to inspect the lower airways."
The Latin-style plural 'bronchi' is the standard form in medical and scientific contexts; 'bronchuses' is occasionally seen in informal English but is not preferred.
"Both bronchi were clear on the chest X-ray."
Every breath you take travels down just two highways — one bronchus per lung — before splitting into thousands of tiny side roads.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bronchus
'Bronchus' traces back to the ancient Greek word 'bronchos' (βρόγχος), meaning windpipe or throat, which Greek physicians such as Galen used in describing the respiratory tract. Latin adopted the term, and it entered English in the early modern period, when anatomists were reviving and translating classical medical texts. It shares this Greek root with related medical vocabulary such as 'bronchitis,' 'bronchiole,' and 'bronchial,' all of which describe parts or conditions of the airways.
Related word forms
How bronchus is actually used
A technical term used chiefly in medical, anatomical, and scientific contexts rather than everyday speech. In ordinary conversation people are far more likely to say 'airway' or refer generally to the 'windpipe.' The plural 'bronchi' (pronounced /ˈbrɒŋkaɪ/) follows the Latin pattern and is standard in medical writing.
Easily confused with bronchus
A bronchus is one of the two large airways branching from the trachea, while a bronchiole is one of the much smaller branches deep inside the lung that lack cartilage in their walls.