lung

American  

[luhng] / lʌŋ /

noun

1. either of the two saclike respiratory organs in the thorax of humans and the higher vertebrates.

2. an analogous organ in certain invertebrates, as arachnids or terrestrial gastropods.

---

idioms

1. at the top of one's lungs, as loudly as possible; with full voice.

   The baby cried at the top of his lungs.

lung British  

/ lʌŋ /

noun

1. either one of a pair of spongy saclike respiratory organs within the thorax of higher vertebrates, which oxygenate the blood and remove its carbon dioxide

2. any similar or analogous organ in other vertebrates or in invertebrates

3. in one's loudest voice; yelling

---

lung Scientific  

/ lŭng /

1. Either of two spongy organs in the chest of air-breathing vertebrate animals that serve as the organs of gas exchange. Blood flowing through the lungs picks up oxygen from inhaled air and releases carbon dioxide, which is exhaled. Air enters and leaves the lungs through the bronchial tubes.

2. A similar organ found in some invertebrates.

---

lung More Idioms  

1. see at the top of one's lungs.

---

Other Word Forms

• half-lunged adjective
• lunged adjective

Etymology

Origin of lung

before 1000; Middle English lungen, Old English; cognate with German Lunge; akin to light ², lights

Example Sentences

Kobe Bryant, Odom’s Lakers teammate and Kardashian’s close friend, flew to Nevada to help her decide whether to proceed with surgery to fix Odom’s lung that had collapsed.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

But the gifts never reached Napoleon II, who died of a lung infection in 1832.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

He came out woozy and lightheaded, temporarily losing 22% of his lung power, and coughed for a month.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Mano advised one Zimbabwean who went on to attend Duke, Yale and Harvard universities and is now an oncologist specializing in lung cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

I’d been meaning to ask Roy Lee about the spot on Dad’s lung, so I took the opportunity.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam