noun
airway
EH-uh-way
noun
1
The passage in the body, especially the throat and windpipe, through which air travels to the lungs.
"The paramedic checked that the patient's airway was clear."
2
A designated route in the sky that aircraft follow.
"The plane joined a busy airway shortly after takeoff."
How to Use Airway
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the passage air travels through in your throat and lungs, or a defined flight route in the sky.
Common pairings
clear the airway
a blocked airway
an established airway
Word Forms
airways plural
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Etymology
From air + way, first describing a route through the sky and later extended to the body's breathing passage.