Adam's apple facts for kids
The Adam's apple is a bump you can sometimes see on the front of a person's neck. Doctors call it the laryngeal prominence. It's made of cartilage (a soft, bendy bone-like material) that wraps around your larynx (which is also called your voice box). Your voice box holds your vocal cords, which help you speak and sing.
This bump is usually more noticeable in adult men than in women, girls, or boys. It's part of the thyroid cartilage, which protects your voice box. A bigger Adam's apple is often seen as a sign of being an adult male, but not all men have a big one, and some women have one too.
Why is it called Adam's Apple?
The name 'Adam's apple' comes from an old story. It's linked to the idea of the forbidden fruit from the Bible. A traditional Jewish belief says that a piece of the fruit got stuck in Adam's throat.
Many languages use a similar name for this part of the neck. For example, in Dutch it's Adamsappel, in French it's pomme d'Adam, and in German it's Adamsapfel. For a long time, even doctors used the name Pomum Adami. But in 1895, a new medical name was created: Prominentia laryngea.
Images for kids
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An example of male laryngeal prominence (front view)
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An example of male laryngeal prominence (side view)
See also
In Spanish: Nuez de Adán para niños
