Meaning & use
kidney
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
One of the two organs in the lower back that clean the blood and make urine.
Grammar: Countable noun: one kidney, two kidneys.
Patterns
- a kidney
- kidney disease
- kidney transplant
He donated one of his kidneys to his sister.
Kidney failure can be life-threatening.
nouncountable
A bean shaped like this organ, often eaten as food.
Grammar: Countable noun: one kidney, two kidneys.
Patterns
- kidney bean
- kidney beans
She added kidney beans to the chili.
The recipe calls for a can of red kidney beans.
Word forms
| plural | kidneys |
|---|
Common combinations
- kidney disease
- Diabetes can lead to kidney disease.
- kidney transplant
- He is waiting for a kidney transplant.
- kidney stone
- She was in pain from a kidney stone.
- kidney bean
- Soak the kidney beans overnight before cooking.
Synonyms and how they differ
- renal
- An adjective meaning 'relating to the kidney'; not a noun.
Word family
- kidney-shaped adjective
- Having the curved shape of a kidney.
Commonly confused: kidney or kidney?
kidney vs kidney
Not to be confused with 'kidney' as a food (bean) versus the organ.
Practice
What is the main function of the kidneys?
Choose one answer.
The kidneys filter waste from the blood and produce urine. The heart pumps blood, the stomach digests food, and the lungs control breathing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “kidney”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.