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

There are multiple treatments for apnea, including weight loss, CPAP sleep masks, implantable devices, and surgery. —Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024

Sleep apnea, which is when a person briefly stops breathing while asleep, not only can be disruptive to sleep, but the condition can also damage a person's mental and overall health. —Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024

On Tuesday, Apple announced that its latest Apple Watch 10 can also alert users to sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep. —Samantha Delouya, CNN, 10 Sep. 2024

For these people, treating the apnea might solve the pee problem. —Tara Parker-Pope, Washington Post, 11 July 2024

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