lower respiratory

adjective

: of, relating to, or affecting the lower respiratory tract
a lower respiratory infection

Examples of lower respiratory 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.
Deep in the lungs in the lower respiratory tract, the temperature is around 37°C. — Health Reporter, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025 Deaths from antibiotic resistant lower respiratory infections are on the rise, according to a new study. — Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 25 Feb. 2026 Vaccines are about 80 percent effective in the first year at preventing lower respiratory tract disease. — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Tozorakimab is also being studied in a Phase 3 trial for severe viral lower respiratory tract disease and in a Phase 2 trial in asthma. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lower respiratory

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lower respiratory was in 1883

Rhymes for lower respiratory

See All Rhymes for lower respiratory

Browse Nearby Words

lower plants
lower respiratory
lower respiratory tract
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lower respiratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lower%20respiratory. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

lower respiratory

adjective
: of, relating to, or affecting the lower respiratory tract
lower respiratory infections
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All