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

Then in 2025, California Senate Bill 20 expanded the state public health agency’s role in silicosis surveillance, outreach and education, and the department designated silicosis as a mandatory reportable condition in California.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

A government hospital insisted it was tuberculosis, although silicosis can also make people more susceptible to TB.

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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