kidney
UK[ˈkɪdni]US[ˈkɪdni]
n
either of a pair of small organs in the body that remove waste products from the blood and produce urine
n
an animal's kidney used as food
Etymology
the origin of the word 'kidney' is obscure and debated. it first appears in middle english as 'kidenei' or 'kidenere', likely a compound whose elements are now lost. one plausible theory suggests it combines the middle english word 'kid', meaning 'belly' or 'womb', with 'ey', an old english word for 'egg', perhaps describing the organ's shape. another theory connects it to an old english term for a 'kidney bean' due to visual resemblance. despite its unclear morphological parts, the word has remained stable in form and core meaning, referring to the vital excretory organ, since the 14th century.
Analysis
the word 'kidney' is a simplex word of uncertain origin. it is not productively formed from identifiable morphemes in modern english.
Examples
he suffered from a serious kidney infection.
the transplant required a donor with a matching kidney.
for dinner, they had steak and kidney pie.