lung

Meaning

1. A biological organ of vertebrates that controls breathing and oxygenates the blood.
2. Capacity for exercise or exertion; breath.
3. That which supplies oxygen or fresh air, such as trees, parklands, forest, etc., to a place.

Concepts

lung

lungs

heart

pulmo

chest

swim bladder

liver

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈlʌŋ/

Etymology

From Middle English lunge, longe, from Old English lungen, from Proto-Germanic *lunganjō, an enlargement of *lungô (“the light organ, lung”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ-, whence ultimately also light. Cognate with West Frisian long, Dutch long, German Lunge, Danish lunge, Norwegian lunge, Swedish lunga, Icelandic lunga, and also Russian лёгкое (ljóxkoje) (lung), Ancient Greek ἐλαφρός (elaphrós, “light in weight”) and perhaps Albanian lungë (“blister, bulge”). Compare Latin levis and Old English lēoht (Modern English light). See also lights (“lungs”). Superseded non-native Middle English pomoun (“lung”), borrowed from Old French poumon, pomon (“lung”).