silicosis

American  

[sil-i-koh-sis] / ˌsɪl ɪˈkoʊ sɪs /

noun

Pathology.

1. a disease of the lungs caused by the inhaling of siliceous particles, as by stonecutters.

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silicosis British  

/ ˌsɪlɪˈkəʊsɪs /

noun

1. pathol a form of pneumoconiosis caused by breathing in tiny particles of silica, quartz, or slate, and characterized by shortness of breath and fibrotic changes in the tissues of the lungs

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Other Word Forms

• silicotic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of silicosis

First recorded in 1890–95; silic(a) + -osis

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

silicosis

"Killer kitchen dust" is the i Paper's headline, writing that loved ones of the victims of silicosis will "receive higher compensation" as "new legislation goes to Parliament".

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

In 2019, the California Department of Public Health identified the first known case of silicosis in a countertop fabrication worker.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

"There is a blanket of dust all day from all the mining and stone crushing," said Subhash Saini, whose brother died from what private doctors said was silicosis, an illness caused by breathing in dust.

From Barron's ● May 31, 2026

A further, lesser known risk is that of silicosis, a lung disease caused by breathing in silica dust, usually over many years.

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2025

The rules are aimed at stemming the rise among workers of silicosis, which results from inhaling tiny particles of crystalline silica that scar the lungs, leaving people struggling to breathe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2024

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