Jorge Eduardo Duque-Parra; Mariano del Sol & Jhonatan Duque-Colorado

Summary

Since the etymology of the term trachea can be challenging to comprehend due to its associations, this article aims to explore the etymology and history of the term. The word comes from the Greek τραχεια, although initially, this term was associated with Κιλικια τραχεια, which corresponded to a narrow passage connecting Tarsus with Cilicia in the Taurus mountain range. Later, it evolved from being a geographical term to a medical one, with descriptions made by Erasistratus (304-250 BC) and Aristotle (384-322 BC), who referred to it as τραχεια αρτηρια. However, as the association of αρτηρια with blood vessels became established, the term τραχεια αρτηρια was replaced, and the structure came to be known solely as the trachea. Therefore, in historical correspondence, the name trachea may refer to this geographical region, which makes it a toponym assimilated as a tortuous geographical route of ancient Greece and the Achaemendians. KEYWORDS: Anatomy; History; Terminology; Toponym; Rrachea.

How to cite this article

DUQUE-PARRA, J. E.; DEL SOL, M. & DUQUE-COLORADO, J. History of the term trachea: A toponym in anatomy. Int. J. Morphol., 43(2):660-662, 2025.