airway

noun

air·​way ˈer-ˌwā How to pronounce airway (audio)
1
: a passage for a current of air (as in a mine or to the lungs)
2
: a designated route along which airplanes fly from airport to airport
especially : such a route equipped with navigational aids
3
4
: a channel of a designated radio frequency for broadcasting or other radio communication

Examples of airway in a Sentence

a patient with a partially blocked airway
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Inhaling microplastics has also been noted as potentially damaging to human lungs and airways, with experts suggesting more research is needed to have a clearer idea of the impacts. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024 Without treatment, anaphylaxis can lead to a blocked airway, cardiac arrest, breathing problems, and shock. Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 19 Oct. 2024 Whooping cough — a highly transmissible infection of the lungs and airways that mostly affects babies and young children — is on the rise in the United States. Don Rauf, EverydayHealth.com, 16 Oct. 2024 Some people – especially parents caring for young kids – can’t always identify early symptoms like chest tightness or dizziness with anaphylaxis until more obvious signs like skin rashes or closing airways show up. Natallie Rocha, The Mercury News, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for airway 

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of airway was in 1800

Dictionary Entries Near airway

Cite this Entry

“Airway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airway. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

airway

noun
air·​way -ˌwā How to pronounce airway (audio)
1
: a passage for a current of air
especially : one through which air passes to and from the lungs
2
: a regular route for aircraft
especially : one equipped with aids for guiding aircraft
3

Medical Definition

airway

noun
air·​way -ˌwā How to pronounce airway (audio)
: a passageway for air into or out of the lungs
specifically : a device passed into the trachea by way of the mouth or nose or through an incision to maintain a clear respiratory passageway (as during anesthesia, convulsions, or in obstructive laryngitis) see upper airway

More from Merriam-Webster on airway

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