pulmonary
This term is strictly clinical and technical, used almost exclusively in medical, anatomical, or biological contexts. It carries a sterile, professional tone that signals a shift from general conversation to a healthcare setting. You would see this on a hospital chart or hear it from a surgeon, rather than in a casual chat about breathing.
While words like respiratory cover the entire system of breathing including the nose and throat, pulmonary focuses specifically on the lungs and the blood vessels connected to them. It evokes an image of the internal gas exchange process where oxygen enters the bloodstream and carbon dioxide leaves it.
Meanings
Examples
Pulmonary hypertension requires immediate clinical intervention.
The autopsy revealed severe pulmonary congestion.