throat, pharynx(noun) the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone. throat(noun) an opening in the vamp of a shoe at the instep. throat(noun) a passage resembling a throat in shape or function.
One of the best examples is the difference between a dolphinfish and a dolphin. Dolphins are mammals and breathe air with lungs just like humans. There are many different dolphins species, including endangered river species, but all of them are in the same animal family (Delphinidae).
This gave them the nickname 'whale killer', later turned into killer whale. When you think of a dolphin, you think of a slender, acrobatic animal with a long snout, and probably of a grey colour. But really, whale is just used for the size, and dolphins are basically a large group of toothed whales.