apnea

noun

ap·​nea ˈap-nē-ə 

1

: transient cessation of respiration

especially : sleep apnea

2

: asphyxia sense 1

Examples of apnea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those cessations in breathing are what constitutes apnea. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 19 May 2025

Babies who contract whooping cough may have a cold-like illness, struggle to breathe or have apnea, the CDC said. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025

Photograph: Apple Every year, Apple launches one stand-out health feature, from measuring VO2 Max on the Series 3 to the ECG sensor on the Series 4, all the way to sleep apnea notifications on the Series 10. —Adrienne So, Wired News, 24 Apr. 2025

Severe complications include pneumonia and apnea, says Harris. —Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from a- + -pnea

First Known Use

circa 1719, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing apnea

• sleep apnea

Medical Definition

apnea

noun

ap·​nea

variants or chiefly British apnoea

ˈap-nē-ə  ap-ˈnē- 

1

: transient cessation of respiration whether normal (as in hibernating animals) or abnormal (as that caused by certain drugs) see sleep apnea

2

: asphyxia

apneic adjective

or chiefly British apnoeic

ap-ˈnē-ik