black lung

noun

: pneumoconiosis caused by habitual inhalation of coal dust

Examples of black lung in a Sentence

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.
My mother’s father died young of black lung. — Literary Hub, 18 June 2026 That came only after a West Virginia coal miner diagnosed with black lung sued. — Margie Mason, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2025 The program offers health screenings for miners and allows researchers to identify disease trends across the nation. Miners who are diagnosed with black lung can transfer to a different part of the mine without a pay cut, under a provision called a Part 90 waiver. — Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 14 May 2025 Deaths from black lung — a chronic condition caused by inhaling coal dust — had been in decline since the introduction of federal regulations over a half-century ago. — Taylor Sisk, CNN Money, 26 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for black lung

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of black lung was in 1837

Rhymes for black lung

See All Rhymes for black lung

Browse Nearby Words

black lotion
black lung
blackly
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Cite this Entry

“Black lung.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20lung. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

black lung

noun
: a disease of the lungs caused by the repeated breathing in of coal dust over a long time

called also black lung disease

Medical Definition

black lung

noun
: pneumoconiosis caused by habitual inhalation of coal dust

called also black lung disease

compare silicosis

More from Merriam-Webster on black lung

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about black lung

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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