1. a serious lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers, characterized by scarring of lung tissue and difficulty breathing
Usage: medical term; occupational disease; uncountable noun

Examples

• Workers exposed to asbestos dust over many years developed asbestosis.
• Asbestosis can take decades to develop after initial exposure to asbestos.
• The patient was diagnosed with asbestosis after a chest X-ray revealed scarring in both lungs.
• Many construction workers from the 1970s now suffer from asbestosis.
• Symptoms of asbestosis include persistent coughing and shortness of breath.