noun
apnea
AP-nee-uh/ˈæpniə/
A temporary pause in breathing, especially during sleep.
The sleep recording shows a brief episode of apnea.
Etymology
The pieces express being without breathing. Greek apnoia already meant absence of respiration, so the medical sense preserves that direct idea in naming a temporary suspension of breathing.
In context
suppose she hadn't breathed because she didn't have a trigger for respiration she'd probably then be have had a consistent apnea test to be brain dead
More examples
- The specialist reviews the frequency of his apnea episodes.
- The report distinguishes apnea from ordinary snoring.
- The study tracks breathing before and after each apnea.
Forms
apnea · apneas
Similar words
- hypopnea
- A reduction in breathing rather than a complete pause.