noun
lung
LUHNG
noun
1
One of the pair of organs in the chest that breathe in air and pass oxygen into the blood.
"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 park is often called the green lung of the city."
How to Use Lung
Learner’s notesIn 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
Word Forms
lungs plural, Lungs plural
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Years of smoking had badly damaged 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."