🫁 Lung tissue area 🦷 Jawbone for teeth

alveolar bed

6.8

The part of the lung with many tiny air sacs where gases pass into the blood

noun
/ælˈviːələr bɛd/

Specialized

: lecho alveolar

Damage to the alveolar bed can lead to impaired gas exchange in the lungs.

Examples

The doctor explained that damage to the alveolar bed can seriously affect breathing efficiency.
Researchers are studying new ways to regenerate the alveolar bed in patients with pulmonary disease.
Fibrosis can cause scarring within the alveolar bed, leading to reduced lung capacity.
The alveolar bed plays a crucial role in oxygen exchange.
Doctors study the alveolar beds to understand respiratory diseases.
In patients with emphysema, the alveolar bed becomes less efficient at providing oxygen.
A healthy alveolar bed is essential for effective lung function and overall respiratory health.

Surface Forms

alveolar bed singular

alveolar beds plural

Morphology

alveolar + bed

The meaning is directly compositional: 'alveolar' (relating to the tooth-bearing part of the jaw) plus 'bed' (a base or layer) yields a base in the jaw that supports teeth. This follows standard anatomical naming patterns and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Alveolar bed comes from the image of a place in the lung where many tiny air sacs sit together: alveolar points to the small air sacs called alveoli and bed gives the image of the place they rest. That's why alveolar bed refers to the lung area used for 'gas exchange'.