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noun B1 Intermediate Common

lung

LUHNG
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Lung (noun) means one of the pair of organs in the chest that breathe in air and pass oxygen into the blood. Example: “He took a deep breath and felt the cold air fill his lungs.”

noun
1
One of the pair of organs in the chest that breathe in air and pass oxygen into the blood.
"He took a deep breath and felt the cold air fill his lungs."
"Years of smoking had badly damaged his lungs."
"The doctor listened to her lungs with a stethoscope."
2
Figuratively, something that supplies fresh air to a place, such as parks or forests in a city.
"The nature reserve acts as a lung for the crowded suburbs."
"Planting more trees will give the town a much-needed lung."
"The park is often called the green lung of the city."

How to use lung

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe organ in your chest that lets you breathe, or figuratively a place that "breathes" fresh air into a city.

Memory tip

The connection to "light" (as in "not heavy") explains why lungs are called lungs — they're the lightest major organ in the body.

Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
lung capacity lung cancer collapsed lung green lung
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Word forms

Plural
lungs
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He took a deep breath and felt the cold air fill his _____.

Etymology

From Old English lungen, related to an ancient root meaning "light" — lungs were named for how light they are (they float, being full of air), the same root that gives us the word "light."

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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airway

Related words

airline airway skyway

Rhymes for lung

Ung hung rung dung tung mung bung fung Jung Sung clung Chung
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Frequently asked questions

What does “lung” mean?
The word “lung” means one of the pair of organs in the chest that breathe in air and pass oxygen into the blood. In plain terms, the organ in your chest that lets you breathe, or figuratively a place that "breathes" fresh air into a city.
How do you pronounce “lung”?
“Lung” is pronounced LUHNG (/ˈlʌŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “lung” in a sentence?
Here is “lung” used in a sentence: “Years of smoking had badly damaged his lungs.”
What part of speech is “lung”?
“Lung” is a noun.
Where does the word “lung” come from?
The word “lung” comes from Old English. From Old English lungen, related to an ancient root meaning "light" — lungs were named for how light they are (they float, being full of air), the same root that gives us the word "light.".
Is “lung” a common word?
“Lung” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “lung” have?
“Lung” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one of the pair of organs in the chest that breathe in air and pass oxygen into the blood.
What is the figurative meaning of lung?
Figuratively, a lung is something that supplies fresh air to a place, such as parks or forests that clean and refresh the air of a city. Large green spaces are often called the lungs of a city for this reason.
Why is lung often used in the plural as lungs?
Because a lung is one of a pair of organs in the chest, people usually refer to both together as lungs. The singular lung is used mainly when discussing one of the two individually.
What words commonly go with lung?
Lung frequently appears in compounds and phrases like lung capacity, lung disease, and lung function. In the figurative sense it is common in expressions such as the green lungs of a city.

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