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apnea

or ap·noe·a

[ap-nee-uh, ap-nee-uh]
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noun Pathology.
  1. a temporary suspension of breathing, occurring in some newborns (infant apnea) and in some adults during sleep (sleep apnea).
  2. asphyxia.
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Origin of apnea

1710–20; < New Latin apnoea < Greek ápnoia, equivalent to ápno(os) breathless (a- a-6 + pno-, variant stem of pneîn to breathe + -os adj. suffix) + -ia -ia
Related formsap·ne·al, ap·ne·ic, ap·noe·al, ap·noe·ic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Word Origin and History for apnea

n.

"suspension of breathing," also apnoea, 1719, Modern Latin, from Greek apnoia "absence of respiration," from apnos "without breathing," from a- "not" (see a- (3)) + pnein "to breathe" (see pneuma).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
apnea in Medicine

apnea

(ăp′nē-ə, ăp-nē′ə)
n.
  1. Temporary absence or cessation of breathing.
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Related formsap•ne′ic adj. n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
apnea in Science

apnea

[ăp′nē-ə, ăp-nē′ə]
  1. The temporary absence or cessation of breathing.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.