angina
Americannoun
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any attack of painful spasms characterized by sensations of choking or suffocating.
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any disease of the throat or fauces.
noun
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any disease marked by painful attacks of spasmodic choking, such as Vincent's angina and quinsy
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Also called: angina pectoris. a sudden intense pain in the chest, often accompanied by feelings of suffocation, caused by momentary lack of adequate blood supply to the heart muscle
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of angina
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin: “quinsy,” from ancina (unrecorded), from Greek anchónē, “strangulation, hanging,” influenced by Latin ang(ere) “to throttle” ( see anxious)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Canadian rock duo make up Angine de Poitrine, which translates from French to angina pectoris — a condition of chest pressure caused by spasms of the heart.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
But, even for seasoned investors, the rules around donating crypto can still be confusing — and a few small mistakes can cost cause angina at tax time.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 5, 2025
Drugs like Viagra were originally designed to treat high blood pressure and angina.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2024
The disease develops over a very long period of time and is not noticed until it leads to blood clots causing angina, heart attack, or stroke.
From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2023
“And Aibileen, I thank you for putting me on your prayer list. My angina sure is better now. I call you this weekend and we catch up.”
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
