plural kidneys
1
a
: one of a pair of vertebrate organs situated in the body cavity near the spinal column that excrete waste products of metabolism, in humans are bean-shaped organs about 4¹/₂ inches (11¹/₂ centimeters) long lying behind the peritoneum in a mass of fatty tissue, and consist chiefly of nephrons by which urine is secreted, collected, and discharged into a main cavity from which it is conveyed by the ureter to the bladder
b
: any of various excretory organs of invertebrate animals
2
: the kidney of an animal eaten as food
3
: sort or kind especially with regard to temperament
a nice helpful guy, of a different kidney entirely from the … Secret Police—
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Examples of kidney in a Sentence
a patient with a damaged kidney
her new boyfriend is of a different kidney than what she usually dates
Recent Examples on the Web
Suni Lee, the defending Olympic all-around champion, is also returning to the sport having been diagnosed with kidney disease last year, while Olympic floor champion Jade Carey and team silver medalist Jordan Chiles are also favorites to make the five-person roster.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 27 June 2024
Heat can also exacerbate pre-existing health conditions, raising the risk of heart attacks, respiratory problems and kidney disease.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 26 June 2024
Reigning Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee battled back from two kidney diseases to put herself in contention for a repeat bid.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
The health conditions listed include lung disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes with end organ damage, severe obesity, neurological or neuromuscular conditions, advanced chronic kidney disease, liver disorder, or blood disorders.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for kidney 
George Ramsay, CNN, 27 June 2024
Heat can also exacerbate pre-existing health conditions, raising the risk of heart attacks, respiratory problems and kidney disease.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 26 June 2024
Reigning Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee battled back from two kidney diseases to put herself in contention for a repeat bid.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
The health conditions listed include lung disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes with end organ damage, severe obesity, neurological or neuromuscular conditions, advanced chronic kidney disease, liver disorder, or blood disorders.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for kidney
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kidney.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Kidney.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kidney. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kidney
noun
kid·ney
ˈkid-nē 
plural kidneys
1
: either of a pair of oval to bean-shaped organs located in the back part of the abdomen near the spine that give off waste products in the form of urine
2
: an organ of an invertebrate animal that gives off waste
Medical Definition
kidney
noun
kid·ney
ˈkid-nē
plural kidneys
1
: one of a pair of vertebrate organs situated in the body cavity near the spinal column that excrete waste products of metabolism, in humans are bean-shaped organs about 4¹/₂ inches (11¹/₂ centimeters) long lying behind the peritoneum in a mass of fatty tissue, and consist chiefly of nephrons by which urine is secreted, collected, and discharged into the renal pelvis whence it is conveyed by the ureter to the bladder compare mesonephros, metanephros, pronephros
2
: any of various excretory organs of invertebrate animals
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