pulmonary
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the lungs.
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of the nature of a lung; lunglike.
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affecting the lungs.
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having lungs or lunglike organs.
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pertaining to or affected with disease of the lungs.
adjective
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of, or relating to or affecting the lungs
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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
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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Counting by 7s
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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.
Pulmonary embolism and hereditary coagulopathy — an arterial blockage in the lungs and issues with blood clotting either too much or too little — contributed to his death, People said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
Pulmonary hypertension, a disease marked by high blood pressure in the lungs, affects approximately 82 million people worldwide, the companies said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
The first, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome - the most common strain in the US - was the illness that led to Ms Arakawa's death, officials say.
From BBC • Mar. 8, 2025
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare disease, affecting fewer than 100 people per million.
From Science Daily • Dec. 13, 2023
Pulmonary tuberculosis had similar episodes in its history.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
