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

Investigators said prior to his death, Noel's mother failed to give him appropriate care for issues that included chronic lung disease, pulmonary edema, and esotropia. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 16 May 2026

Cases can result in severe pulmonary and respiratory distress. —CBS News, 16 May 2026

In fatal cases, the defining biology is profound endothelial dysfunction, capillary leak, pulmonary edema, inflammatory-thrombotic activation, and shock. —Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

The pulmonary critical care physician was 20 minutes away at Willis Knighton's main campus in Shreveport. —Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026

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
• apiary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• bacillary
• beriberi
• bestiary
• breviary
• budgetary

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