kidney

[kid-nee]

noun

plural

kidneys 

1. Anatomy.,  either of a pair of bean-shaped organs in the back part of the abdominal cavity that form and excrete urine, regulate fluid and electrolyte balance, and act as endocrine glands.

2. Zoology.,  a corresponding organ in other vertebrate animals or an organ of like function in invertebrates.

3. the meat of an animal's kidney used as food.

4. constitution or temperament.

   He was a quiet child, of a different kidney from his boisterous brothers.

5. kind, sort, or class.

   He is only at ease with men of his own kidney.

kidney

/ ˈkɪdnɪ /

noun

1. either of two bean-shaped organs at the back of the abdominal cavity in man, one on each side of the spinal column. They maintain water and electrolyte balance and filter waste products from the blood, which are excreted as urine

2. the corresponding organ in other animals

3. the kidneys of certain animals used as food

4. class, type, or disposition (esp in the phrases of the same or a different kidney )

kidney

1. Either of a pair of organs that are located in the rear of the abdominal cavity in vertebrates. The kidneys regulate fluid balance in the body and filter out wastes from the blood in the form of urine. The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron. Wastes filtered from the blood by the nephrons drain into the ureters, muscular tubes that connect each kidney to the bladder.

2. See also nephron

Other Word Forms

• kidneylike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of kidney¹

1275–1325; Middle English kidenei, kidenere (singular), kideneres, kideneren (plural); origin uncertain; perhaps a compound based either on nere (singular), neres (plural) kidney ( Old English *nēore; compare Old High German nioro, Old Norse nȳra ); or ei (singular), eiren (plural) egg ¹, Old English ǣg (singular), ǣgru (plural) (by association with the organ's shape); for the first element compare dial. kid pod (akin to cod ² )

Word History and Origins

Origin of kidney¹

C14: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Quest says among its most popular tests is a $385 comprehensive health profile that analyzes more than 75 markers including those related to heart, kidney and liver health, as well as diabetes risk.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

You might not want to add anti-inflammatory medications to your recovery regimen—perhaps due to issues with your kidneys or GI tract—and you want to support the natural physiological response to injury.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

But her mother, Wu Mei-hua, is 90, suffers from kidney disease and needs assistance to get around.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

We think the market is overlooking the buildout of a third vertical in kidney and autoimmune disease.

Read more on Barron's

Chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure are closely linked and, when not managed appropriately, can lead to serious outcomes such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure and progression to kidney failure.

Read more on Science Daily

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