kidney
B2Neutral (used in both everyday and technical contexts)
Definition
Meaning
One of a pair of bean-shaped organs in the abdomen that filter waste products from the blood and produce urine.
A similar organ in animals, or the flesh of such an organ used as food (e.g., in a stew). By extension, sometimes used metaphorically to refer to a person's nature or temperament.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a count noun ('two kidneys'). The word often forms compounds (kidney stone, kidney bean). In food contexts, it's usually mass/uncountable ('some kidney'). The metaphorical use ('of a certain kidney') is archaic/formal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. Slight variation in culinary references; 'steak and kidney pie' is a classic British dish. American usage may more commonly specify 'kidney beans' in food contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, the word is neutral for medical/food contexts. The archaic metaphorical use ('a man of that kidney') sounds literary or dated.
Frequency
Frequency is similar. Slightly higher in UK due to the traditional dish 'steak and kidney pie' being a cultural reference point.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
suffer from kidney [problem/failure]donate a kidneyhave a kidney transplantbe diagnosed with kidney diseaseundergo kidney dialysisVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “of the same kidney (archaic: of the same temperament)”
- “steak and kidney pie (a specific dish)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in pharmaceuticals/healthcare (e.g., 'kidney drug market').
Academic
Common in medical, biological, and nutritional sciences.
Everyday
Common in health discussions, cooking, and news about donations/transplants.
Technical
Precise anatomical and physiological term. Forms compounds like 'kidney parenchyma', 'kidney glomerulus'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (No standard verb form. Possible jocular/rare 'to kidney' meaning to affect the kidneys is non-standard.)
American English
- (No standard verb form.)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form.)
American English
- (No standard adverb form.)
adjective
British English
- The patient required kidney dialysis.
- She made a steak and kidney pudding.
American English
- He is on the kidney transplant list.
- The recipe calls for kidney beans.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We learned that kidneys are important organs.
- Kidney beans are red and good in salads.
- Drinking plenty of water is good for your kidneys.
- The recipe said to add chopped kidney to the stew.
- After the accident, one of his kidneys was damaged.
- She decided to become a living kidney donor for her brother.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a KID with a key-shaped NEcklace. The key is bean-shaped and unlocks the body's filtration system - a KIDNEY.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A FILTRATION SYSTEM; THE KIDNEY IS A FILTER/PURIFIER.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Beware of false friend 'почка' (pochka) which means both 'kidney' and 'bud' (of a plant).
- Do not confuse 'kidney bean' (фасоль) with just 'kidney'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He has a pain in his kidney.' (More natural: '...in his kidney area' or '...in his kidneys')
- Incorrect pluralisation in food context: 'I don't like kidney.' (correct as mass noun) vs. 'I ate two kidneys.' (countable for organs).
Practice
Quiz
In which of these contexts is 'kidney' used metaphorically or figuratively?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when referring to the organs (e.g., 'Humans have two kidneys'). It can be uncountable when referring to the food (e.g., 'This pie contains steak and kidney').
'Renal' is the formal medical adjective (from Latin 'renes'), as in 'renal failure'. 'Kidney' is the everyday noun and can be used attributively as an adjective ('kidney disease'). They often mean the same thing, but 'renal' is more technical.
Yes, the biological term applies to vertebrates. It's also used for the offal (organ meat) of animals like lamb or beef used in cooking.
Because its shape and colour resemble that of a kidney organ.
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