airway

noun

air·way | \ ˈer-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 For example, Dasgupta said, people with Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, tend to be overweight and may suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, when throat muscles relax and close the airway, thus disrupting sleep. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 8 June 2021 The problem develops when the soft tissue at the back of the throat collapses during sleep, blocking the airway. — Nicholas Bakalar, Star Tribune, 5 June 2021 If your child cannot breathe, cough, talk or cry, be prepared to use the Heimlich Maneuver quickly to dislodge solid foods that are blocking the airway. — Lauren Harrison, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, 3 Apr. 2021 Before Floyd was killed, only two states, Tennessee and Illinois, had bans on police hold techniques that restrict the airway or blood flow to the brain when pressure is applied to the neck. — The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 May 2021 Before Floyd was killed, only two states, Tennessee and Illinois, had bans on police hold techniques that restrict the airway or blood flow to the brain when pressure is applied to the neck. — Farnoush Amiri, Chron, 23 May 2021 When a person is asleep, the muscles around the back of the throat relax, and this can be enough to close the airway. — Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 28 Apr. 2021 Fowler testified Chauvin's knee was not blocking Floyd's airway. — Erin Donaghue, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2021 The 26-year-old driver was still having a seizure when Heightman crawled into the car, stabilized the driver’s head and neck, and opened his airway. — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2021

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

14 Jun 2021

Cite this Entry

“Airway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airway. Accessed 16 Jun. 2021.

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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