pulmonary
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the lungs.
-
of the nature of a lung; lunglike.
-
affecting the lungs.
-
having lungs or lunglike organs.
-
pertaining to or affected with disease of the lungs.
adjective
-
of, or relating to or affecting the lungs
-
having lungs or lunglike organs
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pulmonary
1650–60; < Latin pulmōnārius of the lungs, equivalent to pulmōn- (stem of pulmō lung; akin to Greek pleúmōn, later pneúmōn lung; cf. pneuma) + -ārius -ary
Explanation
Pulmonary means of or relating to the lungs. A pulmonary specialist is a doctor who treats lung problems. Once you know that pulmonary means "relating to the lungs," you know pretty much all there is to know. It will give you a lot more insight into whatever doctor's visits are coming up, because you will know that your pulmonologist is your lung doctor, your pulmonary artery is the one carrying blood to your lungs, and if you have a problem with pulmonary circulation, it means that you aren’t getting enough blood to your...you guessed it, lungs.
Vocabulary lists containing pulmonary
Courage to Soar
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Counting by 7s
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The company said the strong uptake of its new drugs Jascayd for pulmonary fibrosis and Hernexeos for lung cancer also contributed to sales growth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
While her official cause of death was listed as post-polio syndrome and chronic pulmonary failure, McVey attributes her sister's death to the effects of long Covid-19.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Perhaps unexpectedly, the department said it did not note a substantial increase in asthma, acute respiratory symptoms or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-related emergency department visits during the fire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
Theravance has one drug, a treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease called Yupelri, currently on the market.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
“Well, I will ensure the Collective has nanomeds to keep their bodies functioning, so they can breathe in your clean air, which is of course irrelevant without a healthy pulmonary system.”
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
