book lung

noun

: a saccular breathing organ in many arachnids containing thin folds of membrane arranged like the leaves of a book

Examples of book lung in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In these final moments, his partially shed exoskeleton blocked his book lungs—delicate, platelike structures that allowed air to enter his body passively. Katie Weeman, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'book lung.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of book lung was in 1881

Dictionary Entries Near book lung

Cite this Entry

“Book lung.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/book%20lung. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

book lung

noun
: a specialized breathing organ of spiders and related animals

Medical Definition

book lung

noun
: a saccular breathing organ in many arachnids containing thin folds of membrane arranged like the leaves of a book

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