emphysema

American  

[em-fuh-see-muh, -zee-] / ˌɛm fəˈsi mə, -ˈzi- /

noun

Pathology.

1. a chronic, irreversible disease of the lungs characterized by abnormal enlargement of air spaces in the lungs accompanied by destruction of the tissue lining the walls of the air spaces.

2. any abnormal distention of an organ, or part of the body, with air or other gas.

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emphysema British  

/ ˌɛmfɪˈsiːmə, ˌɛmfɪˈsɛmətəs, -ˈsiː- /

noun

1. Also called: pulmonary emphysema.  a condition in which the air sacs of the lungs are grossly enlarged, causing breathlessness and wheezing

2. the abnormal presence of air in a tissue or part

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emphysema Scientific  

/ ĕm′fĭ-sē′mə /

1. A chronic lung disease characterized by progressive, irreversible expansion of the alveoli with eventual destruction of alveolar tissue, causing obstruction to airflow. Patients with emphysema often have labored breathing, wheezing, chronic fatigue, and increased susceptibility to infection, and may require oxygen therapy. Long-term smoking is a common cause of emphysema.

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emphysema Cultural  

1. A chronic disease in which the tiny air sacs in the lungs become stretched and enlarged, so that they are less able to supply oxygen to the blood. Emphysema causes shortness of breath and painful coughing and can increase the likelihood of developing heart disease. Emphysema occurs most frequently in older men who have been heavy smokers.

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Other Word Forms

• emphysematous adjective
• emphysemic adjective

Etymology

Origin of emphysema

First recorded in 1655–65; from New Latin, from Greek emphȳ́sēma “inflation,” from em- em- ² + phȳsē- (variant stem of phȳsân “to blow”) + -ma noun suffix

Explanation

Smoking can cause emphysema, a disease of the lungs that causes shortness of breath. Emphysema comes from the Greek emphusan meaning "puff up." Emphasyma is a long-term disease that destroys the shape and function of the lungs. Some symptoms include a shortness of breath and an expanded or puffed up chest. Most people who have emphysema were smokers at some point in their lives, but it can also be caused by chronic bronchitis.

Example Sentences

However, once epidemiological research on a population level developed and showed dramatically elevated rates of lung cancer, heart disease and emphysema among smokers, the weight of evidence shifted.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

That’s not to say he didn’t have medical issues: He had diabetes now, and emphysema.

From Slate • Jan. 27, 2026

The answer is “yes” — the way a doctor answers, “Is smoking bad because of the cancer, the emphysema or the yellow teeth?”

From MarketWatch • Dec. 5, 2025

“We’ve seen before that after large wildfires, we have asthma exacerbations, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, emphysema, bronchitis, pneumonia and lung infections,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 17, 2025

At the time of the interview, forty or fifty years later, she was dying of emphysema.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood