Definition

A lung disease caused by breathing in dust from certain minerals, leading to scarring of the lungs and difficulty in breathing.

Example

Workers in the mining industry are at risk of developing silicosis due to prolonged exposure to silica dust.

Conversation

Have you heard about silicosis?

Yeah, it's that lung disease caused by inhaling dust, right?

Exactly! It's really concerning for people who work in construction.

For sure, they need to take better precautions to avoid it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Silicosis is formed from "silica" (from Latin "silica", meaning flint or hard stone) and "-osis" (from Greek "-osis", meaning condition or disease). The word refers to a condition or disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust.

Memory Tip

Think of 'silica' as the hard substance that causes a specific 'condition' ('-osis') when inhaled, helping you remember that silicosis is a disease related to silica exposure.

Visually Confused Words