anthracosis
|an-thra-co-sis|
🇺🇸
/ˌænθrəˈkoʊsɪs/
🇬🇧
/ˌænθrəˈkəʊsɪs/
coal/carbon in the lungs (lung pigmentation/disease)
Etymology
'anthracosis' originates from New Latin/Modern medical formation, specifically from Greek 'anthrax' where 'anthrax' meant 'coal' (or 'carbuncle') and the suffix '-osis' meant 'disease' or 'abnormal condition'.
'anthracosis' was formed in New Latin/medical usage in the 19th century from Greek 'anthrax' + '-osis' and entered English medical vocabulary as 'anthracosis' to describe coal‑related lung changes.
Initially it referred generally to a coal‑related condition ('involving coal'), and over time it became specialized to mean the pulmonary condition of carbon/coal dust deposition (a specific type of occupational lung disease).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
deposition of carbon or coal dust in the lungs or lymph nodes, producing dark pigmentation; often an asymptomatic, non‑progressive change.
Anthracosis was visible on the chest X-ray as diffuse darkening of the lung fields.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a form of pneumoconiosis caused by long-term inhalation of coal dust, sometimes used broadly for coal-related occupational lung disease.
Many 19th-century miners developed anthracosis after years of underground work.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/25 06:28