IPA: /ˌsɪlɪˈkɒtɪk/
KK: /sɪlɪˈkɒtɪk/
Relating to a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine silicate or quartz dust, which leads to inflammation and scarring of the lungs.
Workers in the mining industry are at risk of developing silicotic conditions due to prolonged exposure to silica dust.
Silicotic is derived from "silica" (from Latin "silica", meaning flint or hard stone) and the suffix "-otic" (from Greek "-otikos", meaning pertaining to). The term refers to a condition related to the inhalation of silica dust, leading to lung disease.
Think of 'silica' as the hard stone that can cause lung issues, and '-otic' means pertaining to a condition. This helps you remember that 'silicotic' refers to a condition related to silica exposure.