UVULA VS. EPIGLOTTIS

The source of much debate between SRD and weetiny today. As it turns out, weetiny takes this round, with the uvula indeed being the thing residing in the rear of your mouth.

UVULA - small, mucosa-covered set of muscles, musculus uvulae, hanging down from the soft palate, near the back of the throat. The word is derived from the diminutive of uva, the Latin word for "grape", due to the uvula's grape-like shape.

EPIGLOTTIS - a thin, lid-like flap of cartilage tissue covered with a mucous membrane, attached to the root of the tongue, that guards the entrance of the glottis, the opening between the vocal cords. It is normally pointed upward, but when swallowing, solids or liquids stimulate sensors which fold down the epiglottis, and prevent food that should go into the esophagus and stomach from passing into the trachea (windpipe). The epiglottis is one of three large cartilaginous structures that make up the larynx (voice box).

* bonus credit to SRD for having a cooler word!