airway

noun

air·​way ˈer-ˌwā 

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

: airline

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

When sleeping, the muscles in the mouth and throat relax, causing the airways to become blocked. —Valerie Cacho, Verywell Health, 7 Feb. 2025

Mehra said an underdeveloped jaw could reduce airway size, encourage mouth breathing and disrupt sleep. —Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025

Snoring occurs because the airways in our throat are blocked. —Celeste Polanco, Essence, 17 Jan. 2025

Right now, there is no medicine to treat obstructive sleep apnea -- it’s only treated with a positive airway pressure device. —Sony Salzman, ABC News, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing airway

• bilevel positive airway pressure
• continuous positive airway pressure

Kids Definition

airway

noun

air·​way -ˌwā 

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

: airline

Medical Definition

airway

noun

air·​way -ˌwā 

: 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