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.
the upper class. noun. people who have the highest social status: can be followed by a singular or plural verb. aristocracy. noun. the people in the highest class of society, who usually have money, land, and power and who often have special titles, such as âdukeâ or âcountessâ: can be followed by a singular or plural verb. the nobility.