Meanings
nounemail apnea (uncountable)
- informalrareuncountableThe temporary suspension of breathing while reading or writing email, typically associated with anxiety.
Origin
Coined in 2007 by former Microsoft executive Linda Stone.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
email apnea. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/email%20apnea
MLA
“email apnea.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/email%20apnea. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “email apnea,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/email%20apnea.
Source: email apnea on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.