airway

play

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

See airway defined for English-language learners

See airway defined for kids

Examples of airway in a Sentence

a patient with a partially blocked airway

Recent Examples of airway from the Web

Diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by two physicians, he was given a rescue inhaler but was not treated for ongoing airway inflammation.

— judith graham, chicagotribune.com, "Asthma, more deadly with age, takes heavy toll on older adults," 21 Aug. 2017
Sleep apnea is especially troubling for the transportation industry because sufferers are repeatedly awakened and robbed of rest as their airway closes and their breathing stops, leading to dangerous daytime drowsiness.

— michael r. sisak, The Seattle Times, "US nixes sleep apnea test plan for truckers, train engineers," 8 Aug. 2017
Gaining weight also disposes people to obstructive apnea, which amounts to temporary total obstruction of the airway.

— james hamblin, The Atlantic, "A Burdensome Regulation Screening Truck Drivers for a Sleep Disorder," 8 Aug. 2017
The multi-talented singer-songwriter-producer-DJ has been tearing up the airways with new music and festival appearances all year long.

— kat bein, Billboard, "Anna Lunoe Talks Growing 'Outward and Upwards' With First Self-Released Material & Mommyhood: Watch," 14 July 2017
In one study, Iliev and his colleagues at Weill Cornell Medical College and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found that treating mice with antifungal drugs worsened the severity and progression of allergic airway disease and colitis.

— melinda wenner moyer, SELF, "The Candida Overgrowth Problem: Too Much Yeast? No, Too Little Science," 10 July 2017
The risk to any infant comes when the airway is obstructed by bedding, the body of an adult or other means that limit the supply of fresh air, Currie said.

— deborah yetter, The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky drug epidemic's smallest victims: Babies dying in their sleep," 6 July 2017
Most such deaths involve suffocation, where a baby's airway was obstructed.

— deborah yetter, The Courier-Journal, "It's life or death: Don't sleep with your baby, expert says," 6 July 2017
Her lips became swollen, and her airways constricted.

— max londberg, kansascity.com, "Lone star tick bites are causing red meat allergy in the Kansas City area," 29 June 2017

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.

First Known Use of airway

1800

Other Aeronautics/Aerospace Terms

apron, corridor, dirigible, fishtail, flat-hat, vector

AIRWAY Defined for English Language Learners

airway

play

noun

Definition of airway for English Language Learners

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

AIRWAY Defined for Kids

airway

play

noun air·way \ ˈer-ˌwā \

Definition of airway for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

airway

play

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

Learn More about airway

See words that rhyme with airway Britannica English: Translation of airway for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about airway

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up airway? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

airway

Definition of airway

People Are Reading

Examples of airway in a Sentence

Recent Examples of airway from the Web

First Known Use of airway

Other Aeronautics/Aerospace Terms

AIRWAY Defined for English Language Learners

airway

Definition of airway for English Language Learners

AIRWAY Defined for Kids

airway

Definition of airway for Students

Medical Dictionary

airway

medical Definition of airway

Learn More about airway

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

What's Going On With 'Nonplussed'?

9 Slang Words With Academic Origins

Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066