pulmonary

adjective

pul·​mo·​nary ˈpu̇l-mə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce pulmonary (audio) ˈpəl- How to pronounce pulmonary (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, affecting, or occurring in the lungs
pulmonary tissue
pulmonary edema
b
: carried on by the lungs
pulmonary respiration
2
3
: occurring in the pulmonary artery
a pulmonary embolism

Examples of pulmonary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Norwegian royal has chronic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung condition. Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025 Hypothermia and high-altitude pulmonary edema invisibly patrol the peak, which a pair of Poles were the first to reach, in 1937. Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025 In particular, inhaling Aspergillus fumigatus can cause serious lung problems, including invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, aspergilloma, allergic asthma, pneumonitis and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025 Simisola Ade, a physician assistant based in London in the United Kingdom, previously told Newsweek that sitting still for long periods—especially on flights over four hours—can elevate the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pulmonary

Word History

Etymology

Latin pulmonarius, from pulmon-, pulmo lung; akin to Greek pleumōn lung, Sanskrit kloman right lung

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pulmonary was in 1704

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pulmonary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulmonary. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

pulmonary

adjective
pul·​mo·​nary ˈpu̇l-mə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce pulmonary (audio) ˈpəl- How to pronounce pulmonary (audio)
1
: relating to, affecting, or occurring in the lungs
2
: carried on by the lungs
pulmonary respiration

Medical Definition

pulmonary

adjective
pul·​mo·​nary ˈpu̇l-mə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce pulmonary (audio) ˈpəl- How to pronounce pulmonary (audio)
: relating to, functioning like, associated with, or carried on by the lungs

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