Uvulae

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈju.vjəˌlaɪ/

Definitions

1. A small, teardrop-shaped structure hanging from the soft palate of the mouth, involved in speech and swallowing
2. A pair of small, fleshy projections located at the back of the throat, playing a role in preventing food from entering the nasal cavity
3. Two elongated anatomical features that assist in regulating airflow and contribute to the gag reflex during swallowing

Etymology: The uvula is the small fleshy lobe hanging at the back of the throat, and its name is a joke about fruit. The Latin "ūva" meant "grape," and the Late Latin diminutive "ūvula" meant "little grape," a name that fits the hanging, rounded shape. English borrowed the term directly from that Late Latin form. "Uvulae" is simply the plural, so each of these structures takes its name from the same grape comparison. The Latin base "ūva" is also the source of words for grapes and bunches of fruit in several related languages, which is why the throat's dangling lobe ended up named after a bunch of grapes.