airway

[air-wey]

noun

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.

airway

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of airway¹

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

Example Sentences

Obstructive sleep apnea is a chronic disorder that can cause a person’s airway to be repeatedly blocked during sleep.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It's a routine step in general anaesthesia that keeps the airway open and allows precise control of the patient's breathing while they are unconscious.

Read more on BBC

"A fish bone in the airways causing breathing problems is an emergency," she said.

Read more on BBC

Orthopaedic surgeons now prescribe them to help patients lose weight before knee surgery, while chest physicians use them for those with sleep apnea, a disorder that blocks the airway during sleep.

Read more on BBC

RSV can cause pneumonia, as well as a severe inflammation of the lungs’ small airways, known as bronchiolitis, the California Department of Public Health said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times