apnea

ap·ne·a
A1P3N1E1A1
/ˈæp.ni.ə/

noun

The cessation of breathing, most often in reference to transient instances thereof during sleep.

Similar
asphyxia
OriginNew Latin apnoea ← Ancient Greek ἄπνοια →
Less commonScrabble 7
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Meanings

nounapnea (countable and uncountable, plural apneas)

plural apneas · alternative apnoea · alternative apnœa

  1. countableuncountablemedicineThe cessation of breathing, most often in reference to transient instances thereof during sleep.

    Synonyms: asphyxia

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe cessation of breathing, most often in reference to transient instances thereof during sleep.

Similar
asphyxia

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἄπνοια
  2. New Latinapnoea
  3. Englishapnea

From a- + -pnea, from the New Latin apnoea, from the Ancient Greek ἄπνοια (ápnoia), formed from ἀ- (a-, “absence of”) + πνοή (pnoḗ, “breathing”).

More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan apnea
  • apneacessation of breathing
Chinese Mandarin 呼吸暂停
  • 呼吸暂停 (hūxī zàntíng)cessation of breathing
Czech apnoe
  • apnoecessation of breathing
Danish apnø
  • apnøcessation of breathing
Dutch apneu
  • apneucessation of breathing
Esperanto apneo
  • apneocessation of breathing
Finnish apnea
  • apneacessation of breathing
French apnée
  • apnéecessation of breathing
German Apnoe
  • Apnoecessation of breathing
Indonesian apnea
  • apneacessation of breathing
Irish aipnia
  • aipniacessation of breathing
Italian apnea
  • apneacessation of breathing
Korean 무호흡
  • 무호흡 (muhoheup)cessation of breathing
Māori hātū
  • hātūcessation of breathing
Norwegian apne, apné
  • apnecessation of breathing
  • apnécessation of breathing
Polish bezdech
  • bezdechcessation of breathing
Portuguese apneia
  • apneiacessation of breathing
Romanian apnee
  • apneecessation of breathing
Russian апноэ
  • апноэ (apnoe)cessation of breathing
Slovak apnoe
  • apnoecessation of breathing
Spanish apnea
  • apneacessation of breathing
Swedish apné
  • apnécessation of breathing
Welsh apnoea, diffyg anadl
  • apnoeacessation of breathing
  • diffyg anadlcessation of breathing

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

paean
Cite this entry
APA

apnea. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apnea

MLA

“apnea.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apnea. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “apnea,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apnea.

Source: apnea on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.