neck

human skull and neckBony framework of the human head and neck.
Anatomical illustration of the front of the human neck showing labeled veins in blue and nerves in yellow, including the facial, jugular, and transverse cervical veins, as well as the great auricular and supraclavicular nerves.
veins and nerves of the neckVeins and nerves of the human neck.

neck, in land vertebrates, the portion of the body joining the head to the shoulders and chest. Some important structures contained in or passing through the neck include the seven cervical vertebrae and enclosed spinal cord, the jugular veins and carotid arteries, part of the esophagus, the larynx and vocal cords, and the sternocleidomastoid and hyoid muscles in front and the trapezius and other nuchal muscles behind. Among the primates, humans are characterized by having a relatively long neck.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.
Citation Information
Article Title: neck
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 18 June 2025
Access Date: November 13, 2026