airway

noun

air·way | \ -ˌwā

Definition of airway

1 : a passage for a current of air (as in a mine or to the lungs)

2 : a designated route along which airplanes fly from airport to airport especially : such a route equipped with navigational aids

3 : airline

4 : a channel of a designated radio frequency for broadcasting or other radio communication

Examples of airway in a Sentence

a patient with a partially blocked airway

Recent Examples on the Web

In people with the condition, throat and tongue muscles relax and block the airway during sleep, caused by obesity, aging or facial structure. — Washington Post, "New ways to conquer sleep apnea compete for place in bedroom," 12 July 2018 In the most severe case, those symptoms might develop into anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction in which your airways swell and close. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Bethenny Frankel’s Allergic Reaction Was So Severe She 'Thought She Had a Stroke'," 18 Dec. 2018 Nasally, vitamin B12 can be absorbed across epithelial cells, which line the nasal cavities and airways. — Cheryl Wischhover, Vox, "These new vape companies want you to inhale ... vitamins," 24 Oct. 2018 Chemicals can cause problems for hair, scalp, and airways. — Sam Escobar, Good Housekeeping, "How Young Is Too Young to Dye Your Kid's Hair?," 15 Oct. 2018 Only people with a suspected sleep disorder — such as restless leg, or sleep apnea, in which the airway becomes blocked during sleep — need to be studied. — Sarah Gantz, Philly.com, "The high cost of getting a good night's sleep," 6 June 2018 Or the signal to bring EMTs or the physician specifically trained to open airways onto the field. — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, "10 takeaways from behind-the-scenes tour of NFL's game-day medical procedures," 31 Jan. 2018 The ozone, sulfur and nitrogen compounds, and fine particles that comprise this pollution can inflame airways, which in turn can trigger breathing issues and heart problems, and exacerbate illnesses. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "How improving air quality could add years to people’s lives around the world.," 21 Nov. 2018 The device identifies fine particles in the air that are small enough to get into your airways and uses that information to determine a room's PM2.5 level, or the amount of particulate matter in the air. — Jessica Leigh Mattern, Woman's Day, "You Can Use This New Device to Test the Air Quality in Your Home For Free," 17 Mar. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'airway.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

2 Mar 2019

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Time Traveler for airway

The first known use of airway was in 1800

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More Definitions for airway

airway

noun

English Language Learners Definition of airway

medical : the area in the throat through which air passes to and from the lungs

: a route along which airplanes regularly fly

—used in the names of some airlines

See the full definition for airway in the English Language Learners Dictionary

airway

noun

air·way | \ ˈer-ˌwā

Kids Definition of airway

1 : the passage through which air moves from the nose or mouth to the lungs in breathing

2 : a route along which airplanes regularly fly

3 : airline

airway

noun

air·way | \ -ˌwā

Medical Definition of airway

: a passageway for air into or out of the lungs specifically : a device passed into the trachea by way of the mouth or nose or through an incision to maintain a clear respiratory passageway (as during anesthesia, convulsions, or in obstructive laryngitis) — see upper airway