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apnea

American  
[ap-nee-uh] / ˈæp ni ə /
especially British, apnoea

noun

Pathology.
  1. a temporary suspension of breathing, occurring in some newborns and adults during sleep.

  2. asphyxia; suffocation.


apnea Scientific  
/ ăpnē-ə,ăp-nēə /
  1. The temporary absence or cessation of breathing.


Other Word Forms

  • apneic adjective

Etymology

Origin of apnea

First recorded in 1710–20; from New Latin apnoea, from Greek ápnoia, from ápno(os) “breathless” (from a- a- 6 + pno-, variant stem of pneîn “to breathe” + -os, adjective suffix) + -ia -ia

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Insomnia and sleep apnea should be assessed together instead of in isolation.

From Science Daily

The drug is also approved to help treat moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity.

From The Wall Street Journal

Demand for ‘sleep apnea’ testing equipment manufactured by the Japanese industrial company’s subsidiary could also accelerate as drug therapies gain traction.

From The Wall Street Journal

By his final year on the job, his doctor told him he was dealing with prediabetes, fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea, acid reflux, and obesity.

From Salon

They first tested it on standard sleep assessments, such as identifying sleep stages and evaluating sleep apnea severity.

From Science Daily