Definition of emphysema
: a condition characterized by air-filled expansions of body tissues
specifically
: a condition of the lung marked by abnormal enlargement of the alveoli with loss of pulmonary elasticity that is characterized especially by shortness of breath and may lead to impairment of heart action
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for emphysema
The first known use of emphysema was circa 1587
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