Aqualung
/ˈæk.wə.lʌŋ/noun
A self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.
Did you know?Aqualung is a modern compound coined in the 20th century, but its roots reach back to Latin *aqua* (“water”) and English *lung*, making it one of those rare words that feels half-scientific, half-alchemical.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
aqua
“water”
Old English
English
lungen
“lung”
20th Century
English
aqua lung
“a breathing apparatus for underwater use”
20th Century
English
Aqualung
“a trademarked and then genericized name for a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus”
Modern English
English
aqualung
“a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus”