Definition (NCI_NCI-GLOSS) A type of lung disease marked by permanent damage to tissues in the lungs, making it hard to breathe. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease includes chronic bronchitis, in which the bronchi (large air passages) are inflamed and scarred, and emphysema, in which the alveoli (tiny air sacs) are damaged.
Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition: 1  affluent(noun) an affluent person; a person who is financially well off. the so-called emerging affluents. 2  feeder, tributary, confluent, affluent(adj) a branch that flows into the main stream.
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river serve to drain the surrounding drainage basin of its surface water and groundwater by leading the water out into an ocean or sea.ributary (noun). a ruler or state that pays tribute, or a stated sum, to a conquering power, for the purpose of securing peace and protection, or as an acknowledgment of submission, or for the purchase of security. Tributary (noun).