pulmonary

adjective

pul·​mo·​nary ˈpu̇l-mə-ˌner-ē  ˈpəl- 

1

a

: of, relating to, affecting, or occurring in the lungs

pulmonary tissue

pulmonary edema

b

: carried on by the lungs

pulmonary respiration

2

: pulmonate

3

: occurring in the pulmonary artery

a pulmonary embolism

Examples of pulmonary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most people who inhale spores don’t get sick, but those who do usually develop acute pulmonary histoplasmosis within 3–14 days. —Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Dec. 2025

Ladd had been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. —Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025

Knievel, who had diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis, was having trouble breathing and died en route to a hospital. —Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 30 Nov. 2025

The risk is higher for populations at higher risk for severe diseases, including people over the age of 65, people with underlying metabolic, pulmonary, cardiovascular, neuromuscular and other chronic diseases, pregnant people or persons who are immunocompromised. —Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025

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

Phrases Containing pulmonary

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• pulmonary artery
• pulmonary circulation
• pulmonary vein

Rhymes for pulmonary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

pulmonary

adjective

pul·​mo·​nary ˈpu̇l-mə-ˌner-ē  ˈpəl- 

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  ˈpəl- 

: relating to, functioning like, associated with, or carried on by the lungs