Pneumonokoniosis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A chronic lung disease that develops from prolonged inhalation of dust, mineral particles, or other fine substances in the workplace or environment
2. An occupational or environmental illness of the lungs caused by the accumulation of inhaled dust or mineral matter in the respiratory tissues
3. A progressive pulmonary condition resulting from repeated exposure to and inhalation of dust particles or mineral fibers that become lodged in the lungs

Etymology: Pneumonoconiosis is a real medical term, though its spelling in the request has one letter different from the standard form, which is "pneumonoconiosis." It was coined in the 19th century from Greek roots: "pneumon," meaning lung, and "konis," meaning dust, with the suffix "-osis" denoting an abnormal condition. The name describes any lung disease caused by inhaling dust, a meaning fixed by the medical literature of the period rather than by ancient usage. The Greek "konis" is the same root that gives English "conic" and "coniferous" via other routes, though the link is through the shared Greek word for dust, "konis," rather than through the shape sense. The word "konis" itself appears in ancient Greek writing, so only the compound is modern.

Synonyms: silicosis, asbestosis, occupational lung disease