noun
silicosis
sil-ih-KOH-sis
Silicosis (noun) means a lung disease caused by breathing in dust from crystalline silica. Example: “Many stonecutters developed silicosis after years of working in dusty conditions.”
noun
1
medical A lung disease caused by breathing in dust from crystalline silica.
"Many stonecutters developed silicosis after years of working in dusty conditions."
"Silicosis is a serious lung disease."
"The company was sued over cases of silicosis among its workers."
How to use silicosis
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA lung disease you get from breathing in silica dust.
When to use it
It is a medical term, common in health and workplace-safety writing.
Common pairings
develop silicosis
die of silicosis
cases of silicosis
silicosis in miners
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Etymology
The word was formed from Late Latin silica plus the ending -osis, used for medical conditions.
Rhymes for silicosis
meiosis
mitosis
osmosis
stenosis
acidosis
necrosis
neurosis
hypnosis
fibrosis
diagnosis
prognosis
symbiosis
See all rhymes for silicosis →
Frequently asked questions
What is silicosis?
Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust.
What kind of disease is silicosis?
It belongs to a group of lung diseases called pneumoconiosis.
What is the plural of silicosis?
The plural is silicoses, though the word is mostly used as an uncountable noun.
What is the meaning of silicosis?
"silicosis" (noun) means a lung disease caused by breathing in dust from crystalline silica.
