syrinx
1 synonym for syrinx, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A set of pipes of different lengths bound together and played by blowing across the top, also known as panpipes.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
lower larynx
How to use syrinx
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
play the syrinx
syrinx in the spinal cord
bird's syrinx
form a syrinx
Which meaning applies depends heavily on context, whether musical, medical, or ornithological.
Etymology
The word is a learned borrowing from Latin sȳrinx, meaning a reed or reed pipe, which itself came from the Ancient Greek word for panpipes. It is a doublet of syringe, meaning the two words share the same distant root.
Full origin of syrinx →Frequently asked questions
What is a syrinx in music?
It is a wind instrument made of pipes bound together and played by blowing across the top, commonly known as panpipes.
What is a syrinx in medicine?
It is an abnormal fluid-filled cavity that can develop in the spinal cord or brain stem.
What is a syrinx in birds?
It is the vocal organ located where a bird's windpipe branches into the bronchi, and it is what allows birds to sing.
