Main Entry: asth·ma

Pronunciation: \ˈaz-mə, British ˈas-\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English asma, from Medieval Latin, modification of Greek asthma

Date: 14th century

: a chronic lung disorder that is marked by recurring episodes of airway obstruction (as from bronchospasm) manifested by labored breathing accompanied especially by wheezing and coughing and by a sense of constriction in the chest, and that is triggered by hyperreactivity to various stimuli (as allergens or rapid change in air temperature)

— asth·mat·ic \az-ˈma-tik, British as-\ adjective or noun

— asth·mat·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb