farmer's lung

noun

: an acute pulmonary disorder characterized by sudden onset, fever, cough, expectoration, and breathlessness that results from the inhalation of spores in dust from moldy hay or straw

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

farmer's lung

noun

farm·​er's lung ˌfär-mərz- 

: an acute pulmonary disorder that is characterized by sudden onset, fever, cough, expectoration, and breathlessness and that results from the inhalation of dust from moldy hay or straw