kidney

kid-ney · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    Each of a pair of organs in the abdominal cavity that filter blood and produce urine.

  2. 2.

    The kidney of an animal used as food.

  3. 3.

    (archaic or literary) Temperament, nature, or type.

Forms

plural: kidneys

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    kidney bean — a type of bean shaped like a kidney
  • •
    kidney stone — a hard deposit that forms in the kidney

Related words

See also: kidneys, liver, organ

Etymology

From Middle English kidnei, of uncertain origin. Possibly from ei ("egg") due to the organ's shape, though the first element is unclear.