Vocal Cords (Vocal Folds)
One of two small bands of muscle within the larynx that vibrates to produce the voice.
Part of: Voice Box (Larynx)
About the Vocal Cords (Vocal Folds)
Voice (or vocalization) is the sound produced by humans and other vertebrates using the lungs and the vocal folds in the larynx, or voice box. Voice is not always produced as speech, however. Infants babble and coo; animals bark, moo, whinny, growl, and meow; and adult humans laugh, sing, and cry.
Voice is generated by airflow from the lungs as the vocal folds are brought close together. When air is pushed past the vocal folds with sufficient pressure, the vocal folds vibrate. If the vocal folds in the larynx did not vibrate normally, speech could only be produced as a whisper. Your voice is as unique as your fingerprint. It helps define your personality, mood, and health. NIH – National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders