From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishemphysemaem‧phy‧se‧ma /ˌemfəˈsiːmə/ noun [uncountable] medicalMI a serious disease that affects the lungs, making it difficult to breathe
Examples from the Corpus
emphysema• People lived a long time with fluid ... asthma ... emphysema ... years.• Oxygen and specialized breathing equipment are delivered at home to patients with asthma, emphysema, sleep apnea and other breathing disorders.• Gaseous exchange at the alveolar surface is gravely hindered and the lesion is often accompanied by interstitial emphysema and pulmonary oedema.• This ranged from about 3 percent among patients with cirrhosis to 17 percent among patients with end-stage emphysema.• Years ago, he had lost one lung to emphysema.• Fluid took up air space ... you never saw anyone with emphysema run upstairs.• Social Security had just cut the benefits of her husband, who was in the hospital with emphysema.Origin emphysema (1600-1700) Modern Latin Greek, from emphysan “to swell” 