vocal cord

This term refers specifically to the anatomical structures in the larynx. In medical and scientific contexts, it is frequently used interchangeably with "vocal fold," though "fold" is often preferred in modern clinical literature to more accurately describe the layered tissue structure rather than a simple string or cord.

Because these structures always occur in pairs, the term is almost exclusively used in the plural when discussing general function or health, though the singular is used when referring to a specific pathology, such as a nodule or lesion on one side.