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dyspnea

noun
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dys·​pnea | \ ˈdis(p)-nē-ə How to pronounce dyspnea (audio) \

Definition of dyspnea

: difficult or labored respiration
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Other Words from dyspnea

dyspneic \ ˈdis(p)-​nē-​ik How to pronounce dyspnea (audio) \ adjective

Examples of dyspnea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But dyspnea is a medical emergency, after all, so in many cases there was simply no time for that last call, or anyone available to arrange it. — Zeynep Tufekci, The Atlantic, "The Tragic Loss of Coronavirus Patients’ Final Words," 9 July 2020 In severe cases, the novel coronavirus can cause labored breathing (dyspnea), which progresses into acute respiratory distress in critical cases. — Daniel Tenreiro, National Review, "Financial Markets Can’t Remain on Life Support Indefinitely," 1 May 2020 There are three major reasons people feel a sense of dyspnea, or labored breathing, Moss said. — Fox News, "'Silent hypoxia' may be killing COVID-19 patients, but there's hope," 28 Apr. 2020 The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) seen in patients receiving Opdivo were fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, cough, dyspnea, and decreased appetite. — Rachel Reiff Ellis, Woman's Day, "How a Lung Cancer Diagnosis Gave One Woman a New Lease on Life," 17 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dyspnea.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of dyspnea

circa 1681, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for dyspnea

borrowed from Latin dyspnoea, borrowed from Greek dýspnoia, from dýspnoos, dýspnous "short of breath" (from dys- dys- + -pnoos, nominal ablaut derivative from the base of pnéō, pneîn "to breathe") + -ia -ia entry 1 — more at sneeze entry 1

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Time Traveler for dyspnea

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The first known use of dyspnea was circa 1681

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Cite this Entry

“Dyspnea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dyspnea. Accessed 17 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for dyspnea

dyspnea

noun
dys·​pnea
variants: or chiefly British dyspnoea \ ˈdis(p)-​nē-​ə How to pronounce dyspnea (audio) \

Medical Definition of dyspnea

: difficult or labored respiration — compare eupnea

Other Words from dyspnea

dyspneic or chiefly British dyspnoeic \ -​nē-​ik How to pronounce dyspnea (audio) \ adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on dyspnea

Britannica English: Translation of dyspnea for Arabic Speakers

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