dyspnea

noun

dys·​pnea ˈdis(p)-nē-ə 

: difficult or labored respiration

dyspneic

ˈdis(p)-nē-ik 

adjective

Examples of dyspnea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Besides dyspnea, sharp and one-sided chest pain is typical.12 Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction to a trigger (e.g., food, medicine, or insect stings). —Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1681, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dyspnea

• chia
• mia
• pia
• rhea
• shia
• stria
• thea
• zia
• aliya
• aliyah
• althea
• apnoea

Kids Definition

dyspnea

noun

dys·​pnea ˈdis(p)-nē-ə 

: difficult or labored breathing

Medical Definition

dyspnea

noun

dys·​pnea

variants or chiefly British dyspnoea

ˈdis(p)-nē-ə 

: difficult or labored respiration compare eupnea

dyspneic adjective

or chiefly British dyspnoeic

-nē-ik