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.
aristocracy noun [C, + sing/pl verb]. âº a âclass of âpeople who âhold high âsocial ârank: âmembers of the aristocracy. (Definition of aristocracy from the Cambridge Advanced Learnerâs Dictionary & Thesaurus Â© Cambridge University Press). See all translations.ristocracy noun [C, + sing/pl verb]. âº a âclass of âpeople who âhold high âsocial ârank: âmembers of the aristocracy. (Definition of aristocracy from the Cambridge Advanced Learnerâs Dictionary & Thesaurus Â© Cambridge University Press). See all translations.