Dictionary

emphysema en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌɛmfɪˈsimə/ (General-American)
• /ˌɛmfɪˈsiːmə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌɛmfə-/ (General-American)
• /ˌɛmfɪˈzimə/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Multiple origins. Partially from post-Classical Latin emphȳsēma (“swelling”), from Ancient Greek ἐμφῡ́σημα (emphū́sēma), from ἐμφῡσάω (emphūsáō, “to puff up”). Also borrowed from Middle French emphysema, from the same Latin source; compare French emphysème. Attested from the late 16th century.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) An abnormal accumulation of air or other gas in tissues, most commonly the lungs.
2. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable) Ellipsis of pulmonary emphysema, a chronic lung disease, one type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
   alt of pulmonary emphysema
   • The panacinar emphysema shows higher compliance with lungs then the centriacinar emphysema 5 . 2015 June 5, Geeta Shroff, “Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in the treatment of emphysematous COPD: a case report”, in Clinical Case Reports, volume 3, →DOI:
   • His family announced the death on social media on Thursday, but provided no details. In 2024, Mr. Lynch announced that he had developed emphysema after years of smoking, and that as a result any subsequent films would have to be directed remotely. 2025 January 16, J. Hoberman, “David Lynch Dead: ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Mulholland Drive’ Director Was 78”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Forms

Deriveds

aeroemphysema · antiemphysemic · emphysematous · emphysemic

Synonyms

pneumatosis

Translations (19)

tr amfizem (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · is lungnaþemba (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · cs emfyzém (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · fi keuhkolaajentuma (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · cmn 肺氣腫 /肺气肿 (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · et emfüseem (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · es enfisema (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · fo lungnatúsnan (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · it enfisema (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · sv lungemfysem (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · da emfysem (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · ja 肺気腫 (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · pt enfisema (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · fr emphysème (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · de Lungenaufblähung (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · grc ἐμφύσημα (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · fi ilmapöhö (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · ca emfisema (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues) · ru эмфизе́ма (abnormal accumulation of air in tissues)