airway

American  

[air-wey] / ˈɛərˌweɪ /

noun

• airways
  plural

1. an air route equipped with emergency landing fields, beacon lights, radio beams, etc.

2. a passageway by which air passes from the nose or mouth to the air sacs of the lungs.

3. Medicine/Medical. a tubelike device used to maintain adequate, unobstructed respiration, as during general anesthesia.

4. any passage in a mine used for purposes of ventilation; an air course.

5. airways,

   1. the band of frequencies, taken collectively, used by radio broadcasting stations.

      The news was sent out over the airways immediately.

   2. airwaves.

   3. airline.

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airway British  

/ ˈɛəˌweɪ /

noun

1. an air route, esp one that is fully equipped with emergency landing fields, navigational aids, etc

2. a passage for ventilation, esp in a mine

3. a passage down which air travels from the nose or mouth to the lungs

4. med a tubelike device inserted via the throat to keep open the airway of an unconscious patient

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• airways
  plural

Etymology

Origin of airway

First recorded in 1905–10; air ¹ + way ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

airway airways

We call it tripoding, which is particular to upper respiratory infections and airway swelling.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

PDE3/4 inhibitors block specific enzymes to relax airway muscles and suppress inflammation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

In a statement on X, spokesman Ted Goodman said that Giuliani has had "restrictive airway disease" since the 9/11 terror attacks that diminished his ability to fight off pneumonia.

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

This reaction can contribute to airway inflammation and breathing difficulties in the lungs.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 22, 2026

A flush of panic swept up Sierra’s airway and took over her thoughts.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

"My mouth was swelling up, my airways started closing up and I felt very nauseous," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Standard procedure mandates that anyone suspected of smoke inhalation receives a bronchoscopic examination of their airways.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

“Due to the unique anatomy of their airways, bulldogs can experience more respiratory distress in their golden years and may also have a harder time regulating their temperature as a result,” Greenstein says.

From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026

The frustratingly unforgettable Kars4kids jingle, which has been worming its way into listeners’ brains for decades, is officially banned from the airways in California.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026

He made a gurgling sound—secretions clogging his airways.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French