lung

noun

ˈləŋ 

1

a

: one of the usually paired compound saccular thoracic organs that constitute the basic respiratory organs of an air-breathing vertebrate

b

: any of various respiratory organs of invertebrates

2

a

: a device enabling individuals abandoning a submarine to rise to the surface

b

: a mechanical device for regularly introducing fresh air into and withdrawing stale air from the lung : respirator compare iron lung

lungful

ˈləŋ-ˌfu̇l 

noun

Examples of lung in a Sentence

He filled his lungs with the clean. fresh air.

Recent Examples on the Web

My favorite was a male patient in his 60s who had been a smoker most of his life and was dying of lung cancer. —Phoebe Zerwick, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024

The median age for lung cancer, for example, is 59 in India, but 70 in the U.S., 68 in China, and 75 in the U.K., according to the new report. —Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024

An attorney for two people who died of a rare lung cancer argued on Monday for a jury to hold BNSF Railway responsible for pollution in a small Montana town near the U.S.-Canada border where thousands of people were exposed to toxic asbestos dust. —Amy Beth Hanson, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024

Nose hairs protect the delicate tissues of the nasal cavity and lungs from airborne irritants and pollutants, such as dust and pollen. —Lindsay Modglin, Verywell Health, 8 Apr. 2024

Advertisement Edwards, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer about a year and a half ago, is not fixated on her illness but is excited to embark on an ultimate road trip. —Robin Keats, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024

Both died of mesothelioma, a rare lung cancer caused by asbestos that is disproportionately common in Libby. —Matthew Brown and Amy Beth Hanson, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024

The impact had broken their ribs and burst their lungs. —Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024

For example, the lung cancer rates in the U.K. and the U.S. declined after prevalence of smoking waned in those countries, but not until 20-25 years later. —Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lunge, from Old English lungen; akin to Old High German lungun lung, līhti light in weight — more at light

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lung

• book lung
• black lung
• brown lung
• farmer's lung
• iron lung
• heart-lung machine
• small-cell lung cancer

Kids Definition

lung

noun

ˈləŋ 

1

a

: one of the usually paired organs forming the special breathing structure of vertebrates that breathe air

b

: any of various respiratory organs of invertebrates

2

: a device (as an iron lung) to promote breathing and make it easier

Medical Definition

lung

noun

ˈləŋ 

1

a

: one of the usually two compound saccular organs that constitute the basic respiratory organ of air-breathing vertebrates, that normally occupy the entire lateral parts of the thorax and consist essentially of an inverted tree of intricately branched bronchioles communicating with thin-walled terminal alveoli swathed in a network of delicate capillaries where the actual gaseous exchange of respiration takes place, and that in humans are somewhat flattened with a broad base resting against the diaphragm and have the right lung divided into three lobes and the left into two lobes

b

: any of various respiratory organs of invertebrates

2

: a mechanical device for regularly introducing fresh air into and withdrawing stale air from the lungs : respirator see iron lung

lunged adjective