plural kidneys
1
a
: one of a pair of vertebrate organs situated in the body cavity near the spinal column that excrete waste products of metabolism, in humans are bean-shaped organs about 4½ inches (11½ centimeters) long lying behind the peritoneum in a mass of fatty tissue, and consist chiefly of nephrons by which urine is secreted, collected, and discharged into a main cavity from which it is conveyed by the ureter to the bladder
b
: any of various excretory organs of invertebrate animals
2
: the kidney of an animal eaten as food
3
: sort or kind especially with regard to temperament
… a nice helpful guy, of a different kidney entirely from the … Secret Police …—
Paula Lecler
Paula LeclerExamples of kidney in a Sentence
a patient with a damaged kidney
her new boyfriend is of a different kidney than what she usually dates
Recent Examples on the Web
Whereas other capos would rarely sleep in the same place twice, to stay ahead of the law, Oseguera had a late-stage kidney disease and needed daily dialysis, limiting his movements, people familiar with his activity said.
—Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
What This Means for You As study author Grimaldi explains, the aging population is growing—and so too are concerns about cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.
—Julia Sullivan, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
To compensate, the body relies on the lungs, kidneys, and liver, and draws on alkaline mineral reserves such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
—Mélanie Defouilloy, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2026
Her nerves and inner paths twist into a lemniscate; her heart, gills, kidneys, osphradium, digestive organs rotate within her body from the left to the right side of her all-important foot.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kidney
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Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
What This Means for You As study author Grimaldi explains, the aging population is growing—and so too are concerns about cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.
—Julia Sullivan, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
To compensate, the body relies on the lungs, kidneys, and liver, and draws on alkaline mineral reserves such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
—Mélanie Defouilloy, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2026
Her nerves and inner paths twist into a lemniscate; her heart, gills, kidneys, osphradium, digestive organs rotate within her body from the left to the right side of her all-important foot.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kidney
Cite this Entry
“Kidney.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kidney. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kidney
noun
kid·ney
ˈkid-nē 
plural kidneys
1
: either of a pair of oval to bean-shaped organs located in the back part of the abdomen near the spine that give off waste products in the form of urine
2
: an organ of an invertebrate animal that gives off waste
Medical Definition
kidney
noun
kid·ney
ˈkid-nē
plural kidneys
1
: one of a pair of vertebrate organs situated in the body cavity near the spinal column that excrete waste products of metabolism, in humans are bean-shaped organs about 4¹/₂ inches (11¹/₂ centimeters) long lying behind the peritoneum in a mass of fatty tissue, and consist chiefly of nephrons by which urine is secreted, collected, and discharged into the renal pelvis whence it is conveyed by the ureter to the bladder compare mesonephros, metanephros, pronephros
2
: any of various excretory organs of invertebrate animals
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