kidney
9 synonyms and 0 antonyms for kidney, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — One of two bean-shaped organs in the body that filter waste from the blood and produce urine.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use kidney
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Middle English "kideney," of murky origin — likely a blend of an old word for "sack" (referring to the organ's pouch-like shape) and an older word for "kidney" itself, with the spelling reshaped to resemble "egg" (Middle English "ey").
Full origin of kidney →Frequently asked questions
What is the plural of kidney?
The plural is kidneys, formed by simply adding -s. Because kidney ends in a vowel plus y, the y does not change to -ies, so "kidnies" is a misspelling.
Why are kidney beans called kidney beans?
Kidney beans take their name from their shape: each bean curves like a miniature version of the kidney, the bean-shaped organ in the body. The dark red colour of the most common variety strengthens the resemblance.