Meanings
plural alveoli
- A small cavity or pit.
- anatomyAny of the many tiny air sacs in the lungs in which the bronchioles terminate and where oxygen and carbon dioxide are rapidly exchanged with the pulmonary capillaries.
Synonyms: pulmonary alveolus
- anatomyThe bony socket in which the root of a tooth resides.
Synonyms: dental alveolus, tooth socket, alveolar socket
- biologyThe socket of a macrotrichium (seta).
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny of the many tiny air sacs in the lungs in which the bronchioles terminate and where oxygen and carbon dioxide are rapidly exchanged with the pulmonary capillaries.
nounThe bony socket in which the root of a tooth resides.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna tiny sac for holding air in the lungs; formed by the terminal dilation of tiny air passageways
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂ewlós
- Proto-Italic*aulos?
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Italic*alwos?
- Latinalvus
- Latinalveus
- Latinalveolus
- Englishalveolus
Borrowed from Latin alveolus (“a small hollow or cavity”), diminutive of alveus (“a hollow, cavity”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic حويصلة هوائية
- حويصلة هوائية (hawysilatan hawayiya)small air sac in the lungs
Bulgarian алвео́ла, алвео́ла
- алвео́ла (alveóla)small air sac in the lungs
- алвео́ла (alveóla)anatomy: hollow cavity
Catalan alvèol, alvèol
- alvèolsmall air sac in the lungs
- alvèolanatomy: hollow cavity
Chinese Mandarin 肺泡
- 肺泡 (fèipào)small air sac in the lungs
Czech plicní sklípek
- plicní sklípeksmall air sac in the lungs
Danish alveole, alveole
- alveolesmall air sac in the lungs
- alveoleanatomy: hollow cavity
Finnish rakkula, keuhkorakkula
- rakkulasmall air sac in the lungs
- keuhkorakkulasmall air sac in the lungs
- alveolianatomy: hollow cavity
French alvéoles pulmonaires
- alvéoles pulmonairessmall air sac in the lungs
German Lungenbläschen, Alveole
- Lungenbläschensmall air sac in the lungs
- Alveoleanatomy: hollow cavity
Greek κυψελίδα
- κυψελίδα (kypselída)small air sac in the lungs
Hawaiian nōiki
- nōikismall air sac in the lungs
Hebrew נֹאדִית
- נֹאדִיתsmall air sac in the lungs
Hungarian alveolus
- alveolussmall air sac in the lungs
Irish ailbheolas, ailbheolas
- ailbheolassmall air sac in the lungs
- ailbheolasanatomy: hollow cavity
Japanese 肺胞
- 肺胞 (haihō)small air sac in the lungs
Korean 폐포
- 폐포 (pyepo)small air sac in the lungs
Māori miru, miru
- mirusmall air sac in the lungs
- miruanatomy: hollow cavity
Norwegian Bokmål alveol, alveol
- alveolsmall air sac in the lungs
- alveolanatomy: hollow cavity
Persian آرج, آره
- آرج (âraj)anatomy: hollow cavity
- آره (âra)anatomy: hollow cavity
Polish pęcherzyk płucny
- pęcherzyk płucnysmall air sac in the lungs
Portuguese alvéolo, alvéolo
- alvéolosmall air sac in the lungs
- alvéoloanatomy: hollow cavity
Romanian alveolă, alveolă
- alveolăsmall air sac in the lungs
- alveolăanatomy: hollow cavity
Russian альвеола
- альвеола (alʹveola)small air sac in the lungs
Spanish alvéolo, alveolo
- alvéolosmall air sac in the lungs
- alveolosmall air sac in the lungs
- alvéoloanatomy: hollow cavity
- alveoloanatomy: hollow cavity
Swedish alveol, lungblåsa
- alveolsmall air sac in the lungs
- lungblåsasmall air sac in the lungs
Tagalog supot-hangin
- supot-hanginsmall air sac in the lungs
Thai ถุงลม, เบ้าฟัน
- ถุงลม (tǔng-lom)small air sac in the lungs
- เบ้าฟัน (bâo-fan)anatomy: hollow cavity
Vietnamese phế bào, phế nang
- phế bàosmall air sac in the lungs
- phế nangsmall air sac in the lungs
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with alveolus
All rhymes →Cite this entry
alveolus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alveolus
“alveolus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alveolus. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alveolus,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alveolus.
Source: alveolus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.