kidneys

Cultural

A pair of organs, the principal parts of the excretory system, located above the waistline at the back of the abdominal cavity. The kidneys filter waste materials from the blood, excreting these wastes in the form of urine; they also regulate the amounts of water and other chemicals in body fluids.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

With rhabdomyolysis, kidneys become strained when proteins and electrolytes from damaged muscle tissue are released into the bloodstream.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

Urology is a part of health care that deals with diseases of the male and female urinary tract including kidneys, bladder and urethra.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026

This rare condition, which mostly impacts children, occurs when bacterial toxins spread throughout the body and damage red blood cells, causing clots in the organs, primarily the kidneys.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026

Diabetes damages blood vessels, causing complications in the eyes, kidneys and heart.

From Science Daily • Jun. 17, 2026

My kidneys were blowing the whistle on my body.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023