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.
Pet dander Pollen These allergens can trigger an immune system reaction, leading to airway or skin inflammation. Brandi Jones, Msn-Ed, Health, 28 Mar. 2025 White House officials argued the planes had already taken off and were outside of U.S. airways, and thus the judge had no right to intervene or ask questions. Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 27 Mar. 2025 So, as tobacco companies filled the airways with advertisements, anti-smoking advocates received millions of dollars of free time to respond. Simar Bajaj / Made By History, TIME, 17 Mar. 2025 On Saturday evening the Vatican said that Francis did not experience any episodes of bronchospasm — a tightening of the muscles in the small airways of the lungs — throughout the day. Astha Rajvanshi, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Airway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airway. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

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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