asphyxia

[ as-fik-see-uh ]
See synonyms for asphyxia on Thesaurus.com
nounPathology.
  1. the extreme condition caused by lack of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide in the blood, produced by interference with respiration or insufficient oxygen in the air; suffocation.

Origin of asphyxia

1
First recorded in 1700–10; from New Latin, from Greek asphyxía “a stopping of the pulse,” equivalent to a- a-6 + sphýx(is) “pulse” + -ia -ia

Other words from asphyxia

  • as·phyx·i·al, adjective

Words that may be confused with asphyxia

Words Nearby asphyxia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use asphyxia in a sentence

  • Of course he walked directly into the opening, and was dragged out in a condition of asphyxia.

    Out of the Hurly-Burly | Charles Heber Clark
  • He had been buried by decomposed rock, and had died from asphyxia.

    The Comstock Club | Charles Carroll Goodwin

British Dictionary definitions for asphyxia

asphyxia

/ (æsˈfɪksɪə) /


noun
  1. lack of oxygen in the blood due to restricted respiration; suffocation. If severe enough and prolonged, it causes death

Origin of asphyxia

1
C18: from New Latin, from Greek asphuxia a stopping of the pulse, from a- 1 + sphuxis pulse, from sphuzein to throb

Derived forms of asphyxia

  • asphyxial, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for asphyxia

asphyxia

[ ăs-fĭksē-ə ]


  1. A condition characterized by an extreme decrease in the amount of oxygen in the body accompanied by an increase of carbon dioxide, caused by an an inability to breathe. Asphyxia usually results in loss of consciousness and sometimes death.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.