(ˌnjuːməʊˌkəʊnɪˈəʊsɪs), pneumokoniosis (ˌnjuːməʊˌkəʊnɪˈəʊsɪs) or pneumonoconiosis (ˌnjuːmənəʊˌkəʊnɪˈəʊsɪs)
noun
any disease of the lungs or bronchi caused by the inhalation of metallic or mineral particles: characterized by inflammation, cough, and fibrosis
Word origin
C19: shortened from pneumonoconiosis, from pneumo- + -coniosis, from Greek konis dust
black lung in American English
noun
pneumoconiosis of coal miners, caused by coal dust; anthracosis
Word origin
[1905–10]This word is first recorded in the period 1905–10. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Expressionism, jazz, revolving door, scrounge, stabilizer
Examples of 'black lung' in a sentence
black lung
`The owners of the coal mines built their big houses here on the backs of the losers: miners who still die from black lung and the like.