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
Theobromine is closely associated with caffeine, the National Cancer Institute says, and can stimulate the heart, widen blood vessels, and increase the amount of urine the kidneys make.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 2 Jan. 2026
Getting too little sleep is linked with chronic and sometimes life-threatening health concerns, including high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
—Sarah Klein, Outside, 1 Jan. 2026
This year, the company is concluding kidney trials as well as launching pancreatic cancer trials.
—Harry Goldstein, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Jan. 2026
Semaglutide is also cleared by regulators to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in overweight people with cardiovascular disease, as well as to treat chronic kidney disease in diabetes patients.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kidney
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Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 2 Jan. 2026
Getting too little sleep is linked with chronic and sometimes life-threatening health concerns, including high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
—Sarah Klein, Outside, 1 Jan. 2026
This year, the company is concluding kidney trials as well as launching pancreatic cancer trials.
—Harry Goldstein, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Jan. 2026
Semaglutide is also cleared by regulators to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in overweight people with cardiovascular disease, as well as to treat chronic kidney disease in diabetes patients.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kidney
Cite this Entry
“Kidney.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kidney. Accessed 9 Jan. 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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