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suffocation

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suf⋅fo⋅cate

  [suhf-uh-keyt] verb, -cat⋅ed, -cat⋅ing.
Use suffocation in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to kill by preventing the access of air to the blood through the lungs or analogous organs, as gills; strangle.
2. to impede the respiration of.
3. to discomfort by a lack of fresh or cool air.
4. to overcome or extinguish; suppress.
–verb (used without object)
5. to become suffocated; stifle; smother.
6. to be uncomfortable due to a lack of fresh or cool air.
Origin:
1520–30; < L suffōcātus (ptp. of suffōcāre to choke, stifle), equiv. to suf- suf- + -fōc- (comb. form of fauc-, s. of faucēs throat) + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
suf⋅fo⋅cat⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
suf⋅fo⋅ca⋅tion, noun
suf⋅fo⋅ca⋅tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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suf·fo·cate   (sŭf'ə-kāt')   
v.   suf·fo·cat·ed, suf·fo·cat·ing, suf·fo·cates

v.   tr.

  1. To kill or destroy by preventing access of air or oxygen.

  2. To impair the respiration of; asphyxiate.

  3. To cause discomfort to by or as if by cutting off the supply of fresh air.

  4. To suppress the development, imagination, or creativity of; stifle: "The rigid formality of the place suffocated her" (Thackeray).

v.   intr.

  1. To die from lack of air or oxygen; be asphyxiated.

  2. To feel discomfort from lack of fresh air.

  3. To become or feel suppressed; be stifled.


[Latin suffōcāre, suffōcāt- : sub-, sub- + faucēs, throat.]
suf'fo·ca'ting·ly adv., suf'fo·ca'tion n., suf'fo·ca'tive adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

suffocation 
1460 (implied in pp. adj. suffocate), from M.Fr. suffocation, from L. suffocationem (nom. suffocatio) "a choking, stifling," from suffocatus, pp. of suffocare "suffocate," originally "to narrow up," from sub "up (from under)" + fauces (pl.) "throat, narrow entrance."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: suf·fo·cate
Pronunciation: 's&f-&-"kAt
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -cat·ed; -cat·ing
transitive senses
1 : to stop the respiration of (as by strangling or asphyxiation)
2 : to deprive of oxygen suffocate intransitivesenses
: to die from being unable to breathe —suf·fo·ca·tive /-"kAt-iv/ adjective

Main Entry: suf·fo·ca·tion
Pronunciation: "s&f-&-'kA-sh&n
Function: noun
: the act of suffocating or state of beingsuffocated : stoppage of breathing —compare ASPHYXIA
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

suffocate suf·fo·cate (sŭf'ə-kāt')
v. suf·fo·cat·ed, suf·fo·cat·ing, suf·fo·cates

  1. To impair the respiration of; asphyxiate.

  2. To suffer from lack of oxygen; to be unable to breathe.

suf'fo·ca'tion n.
suf'fo·ca'tive adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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