neck

The word “neck” means the part of the body connecting the head to the shoulders and trunk. In plain terms, the body part joining head to shoulders, or by extension any narrow connecting part.

“Neck” is pronounced NEHK (/ˈnɛk/ in IPA).

Here is “neck” used in a sentence: “He wrapped a scarf around his neck.”

Words with a similar meaning to “neck” include cervix and collum.

Depending on how it is used, “neck” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “neck” comes from Old English. From Old English hnecca ("neck, nape"), from a Proto-Germanic root also seen in Dutch nek and German Nacken.

“Neck” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Neck” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the part of the body connecting the head to the shoulders and trunk.

The neck is the whole part of the body joining the head to the shoulders and trunk. The nape is one small area of it, the back of the neck just below the hairline. So the nape is part of the neck, specifically its rear surface, not a separate structure.

The neck is the entire column connecting the head and body, front and back. The throat refers mainly to the front and inside of the neck, the passage that carries food and air. You feel a lump in your throat, but you wear a scarf around your neck.

The neck contains the cervical spine, which supports the head, along with muscles, major blood vessels, the windpipe, and the food pipe. On the outside, the front is often called the throat and the back is the nape. Together these let the head move and the body breathe and swallow.