lung

noun

ˈləŋ How to pronounce lung (audio)
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 How to pronounce lung (audio)
noun

Examples of lung in a Sentence

He filled his lungs with the clean. fresh air.
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.
When Clausing died at 66 on Jan. 13, 2021, from lung disease after contracting COVID-19, Harp, 27 at the time, was devastated. — Jordan Greene, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025 Francis has been at Rome's Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14 for a complex lung infection that turned into pneumonia in both lungs. — arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2025 Coal emissions can also lead to health issues, including respiratory illness, lung disease, acid rain, smog, and neurological and developmental damage. — Kelly Livingston, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2025 Forests are the lungs of our planet, absorbing carbon dioxide, regulating temperatures, and shaping the agricultural landscapes that feed billions. — Dianne Plummer, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lung

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lung was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing lung

Rhymes for lung

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Browse Nearby Words

lung
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Cite this Entry

“Lung.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lung. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

lung

noun
ˈləŋ How to pronounce lung (audio)
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 How to pronounce lung (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on lung

Nglish: Translation of lung for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lung

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