lungan
B1Neutral; common in general, medical, and scientific contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Either of the two spongy, saclike respiratory organs in the chest of vertebrates that remove carbon dioxide from and bring oxygen to the blood.
The organ or seat of respiration; figuratively, a means of fresh air or vital inspiration; in technology, a device that functions as a respiratory organ (e.g., in a furnace).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is almost exclusively used in the singular only in medical/biological contexts referring to lung tissue generally (e.g., 'lung disease'). The plural 'lungs' is standard when referring to the pair of organs.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Identical core meaning. Figurative use ('a breath of fresh air for the lungs of the city') is equally possible in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common and fundamental in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have damaged [one's] lungsbreathe into [one's] lungsaffect the lungsa disease of the lungsVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at the top of one's lungs”
- “have a good pair of lungs”
- “a breath of fresh air for the lungs of the city (figurative)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; possible in health insurance or workplace safety contexts (e.g., 'lung health screenings').
Academic
Common in biology, medicine, physiology, and environmental health papers.
Everyday
Common in discussions of health, illness, smoking, exercise, and pollution.
Technical
Core term in pulmonology, respiratory therapy, and toxicology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- lung tissue
- lung specialist
- lung-related illness
American English
- lung tissue
- lung specialist
- lung-related illness
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We breathe air into our lungs.
- Smoking is very bad for your lungs.
- The doctor listened to her lungs with a stethoscope.
- He has a lung infection and needs antibiotics.
- The pollution in the city can cause long-term damage to residents' lungs.
- Her lung capacity improved dramatically after she took up swimming.
- The study investigated the correlation between air particulate matter and reduced lung function in adolescents.
- The novel bioreactor acted as an artificial lung, oxygenating the patient's blood externally.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
LUNGS are the LONG bags inside you that fill with air. Think: 'My LUNGS are like two LONG balloons.'
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A MACHINE; LUNGS ARE BELLOWS/PUMPS.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'легкое' (singular) for one lung; English uses the plural 'lungs' far more frequently for the pair.
- Avoid calquing constructions like 'on the lung' from 'на легком' (for tuberculosis). Use 'tuberculosis' or 'TB'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'lung' as a countable singular in everyday contexts (e.g., 'I have pain in my lung' – use 'lungs' is more natural).
- Misspelling as 'lunge' (which is a verb/noun meaning a sudden forward movement).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a common collocation with 'lung'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is grammatically possible in specific medical contexts (e.g., 'a diseased lung was removed'), but in everyday speech, we almost always refer to 'the lungs' or 'my/her lungs' as a paired organ.
Lungs are internal organs used to breathe air, found in mammals, birds, and reptiles. Gills are external organs used to extract oxygen from water, found in fish and some amphibians.
Yes, though not extremely common. For example, parks are sometimes called 'the lungs of a city', meaning they provide a place for it to 'breathe' fresh air.
An 'iron lung' is a historical mechanical respirator that encased a person's body to help them breathe, notably used for polio patients in the mid-20th century.