1. A small, leaf-shaped flap of tissue at the base of the tongue that covers the entrance to the windpipe during swallowing to prevent food from entering the lungs.
Usage: Anatomy term; Singular form; plural is epiglottises or epiglottides

Examples

• The epiglottis automatically closes when you swallow to protect your airway.
• During a physical examination, the doctor used a tongue depressor to view the epiglottis.
• Inflammation of the epiglottis can make swallowing painful.
• The epiglottis is a crucial structure for safe breathing and eating.
• When you breathe, the epiglottis remains open to allow air into the lungs.