noun
kidney
KIHD-nee
noun
1
One of two bean-shaped organs in the body that filter waste from the blood and produce urine.
"She donated one of her kidneys to her brother."
"Doctors monitor kidney function closely in diabetic patients."
2
A person's general character, nature, or temperament — an older, less common usage.
"He was a man of a rather stubborn kidney."
How to Use Kidney
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe organ that filters your blood and makes urine; also, in old-fashioned usage, a person's temperament.
Common pairings
kidney failure
kidney stone
kidney transplant
Word Forms
kidneys plural, Kidneys plural
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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").