black lung

American  

noun

1. pneumoconiosis of coal miners, caused by coal dust; anthracosis.

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black lung British  

noun

1. another name for pneumoconiosis

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black lung Scientific  

1. An occupational disease of coal miners caused by the long-term inhalation of coal dust, characterized by the presence of coal around the bronchioles on x-ray images. Most patients develop no symptoms, but a few advance to progressive obstruction of the airways and destruction of lung tissue with accompanying shortness of breath and eventual respiratory disability.

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black lung Cultural  

1. A chronic disease of the lungs caused by inhaling coal dust over long periods. Common among coal miners, black lung is an example of an occupational disease.

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Etymology

Origin of black lung

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

The black lung screening program for coal miners was briefly killed off before an outcry led to a temporary reinstatement.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2025

As progress on the rule stalled, government researchers documented with growing alarm a resurgence of severe black lung afflicting younger coal miners, and studies implicated poorly controlled silica as the likely cause.

From New York Times • Apr. 16, 2024

Michael and David, who worked at the Haig Colliery in Whitehaven, Cumbria, know many miners who were struck down by black lung.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2024

In the years that followed, judges cited Chevron in upholding rules that protect endangered species, speed up the approval process for new cellphone towers and grant benefits to coal miners suffering from black lung.

From Salon • Sep. 22, 2023

Their names all ended with Y. Her husband, Clarence Pastor, had black lung and sat on the front porch of their huge sagging house all day long, but he never smiled or waved at passersby.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls