tracheostomy

noun

tra·​che·​os·​to·​my ˌtrā-kē-ˈä-stə-mē How to pronounce tracheostomy (audio)
plural tracheostomies
: the surgical formation of an opening into the trachea through the neck especially to allow the passage of air

Examples of tracheostomy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My team is called in to place a breathing tube in the neck, a tracheostomy, to allow for long-term ventilation. — Emily Boss, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025 Tyrone Fitzpatrick has relied on friends and family to pay for the gauze pads and gel to care for his tracheostomy when his nursing home ran low. — Kristi Tanner, Freep.com, 13 Feb. 2026 In one incident, she was seen removing the child's tracheostomy tube and failed to promptly reinsert it, causing the child to struggle to breathe. — Stephanie Ballesteros, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026 Sixth grader April Xue dreams of performing on Broadway, and knows that having a tracheostomy tube shouldn’t hold her back. — Diane Debrovner, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tracheostomy

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tracheostomy was circa 1923

Rhymes for tracheostomy

See All Rhymes for tracheostomy

Browse Nearby Words

tracheophyte
tracheostomy
tracheotomize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tracheostomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tracheostomy. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

tracheostomy

noun
tra·​che·​os·​to·​my ˌtrā-kē-ˈäst-ə-mē How to pronounce tracheostomy (audio)
plural tracheostomies
: the surgical formation of an opening into the trachea through the neck especially to allow the passage of air
also : the opening itself

More from Merriam-Webster on tracheostomy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tracheostomy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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