Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Performing functions similar to those performed by lungs: Describes an organ, structure, or device that operates in a way comparable to biological lungs, typically involving gas exchange (taking in oxygen and/or expelling carbon dioxide).

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The new artificial respirator has a lung-like membrane that efficiently oxygenates the blood.
  • Some ancient fish had lung-like swim bladders that allowed them to breathe air.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Medical Context: Used to describe biomedical devices, synthetic organs, or comparative biological structures.
  • The research focuses on developing a lung-like bioreactor for drug testing.

Variants and Related Words

• Lung (n): The paired respiratory organ in many vertebrates.
• Pulmonary (adj): Relating to or affecting the lungs.
• Respiratory (adj): Relating to the act of breathing or the organs used for breathing.

Synonyms

• Pulmonate (adj, chiefly zoology): Having lungs or lung-like organs.
• Respiration-mimicking (adj, technical): Imitating the function of breathing organs.

Notes on Usage

• "Lung-like" is a hyphenated compound adjective. It is typically used attributively (before a noun) to modify it, as in "a lung-like organ." It is less common to use it predicatively (after a linking verb like 'is').
• The term is most frequently found in scientific, medical, and technical descriptions rather than in everyday conversation.

Adjective

1. performing functions similar to those performed by lungs