# emphysema

/ˌɛmfəˈzimə/ (US) · /ɛmfˈaɪsmɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/emphysema
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. lung disease

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a long-term disease where the tiny air sacs in the lungs are damaged, making you feel short of breath.

For teachers: a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involving the permanent enlargement and destruction of the air sacs in the lungs.

- After years of heavy smoking, he was diagnosed with emphysema and needed oxygen.
- The patient presented with advanced emphysema, exhibiting the characteristic barrel chest and significant expiratory airflow obstruction during pulmonary function tests.

## Examples

- He was diagnosed with emphysema after years of smoking.
- The patient's chronic cough and shortness of breath were eventually attributed to emphysema rather than a simple infection.
- While emphysema is most commonly linked to tobacco use, long-term exposure to industrial pollutants or secondhand smoke can also lead to the progressive destruction of lung tissue.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.