What is the medical name for the voice box?
General information only. This article explains the basics and is not medical advice. For anything about your own health, talk to a doctor or other qualified professional.
Quick answer
The medical name for the voice box is the larynx (pronounced “LAIR-inks”). It sits in the neck, at the top of the windpipe (trachea), and contains the vocal cords (vocal folds), which vibrate to produce sound when air passes over them.
Every word you say, every laugh and every cough starts in this small structure of cartilage, muscle and tissue.
What the larynx does
| Job | How |
|---|---|
| Makes sound | Air from the lungs makes the vocal folds vibrate |
| Protects the airway | A flap called the epiglottis closes when you swallow, so food goes down the esophagus, not the windpipe |
| Helps breathing | The vocal folds open wide when you breathe in |
| Coughing | It closes briefly to build pressure, then opens to clear the airway |
How your voice works
- Air from your lungs pushes up through the windpipe.
- Muscles bring the vocal folds together.
- Air makes them vibrate, hundreds of times per second.
- Your throat, mouth, nose and tongue shape that buzz into words.
Tighter, thinner folds make higher sounds; looser, thicker folds make lower sounds.
The Adam’s apple
The bump at the front of the neck is the thyroid cartilage of the larynx. During puberty, the larynx grows, especially in boys, making the bump more visible and the voice deeper. That’s why teenage voices sometimes “crack.”
Why voices are different
| Typical vocal fold length | |
|---|---|
| Adult men | ~17–25 mm |
| Adult women | ~12.5–17.5 mm |
| Children | Shorter still |
Shape and size of the mouth, nose and throat also give each person a unique voice.
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx, often from a cold or overusing the voice, causing a hoarse voice or temporary loss of voice. It usually improves by itself; hoarseness lasting more than a few weeks should be checked by a doctor.
For other body parts explained, see the smallest bone, which helps you hear the voices around you.
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