Dictionary

breathlessness en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree English breathless Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English breathlessness From breathless + -ness.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The state of being breathless or out of breath, especially merely temporarily from exertion.
   • Dickinson's longer lines and use of ampersands ^([Bronski means dashes]) creates a breathlessness that evokes sexual excitement, an urgency that precludes, or at least, overshadows thought. 1980 December 13, Michael Bronski, “A Longing For Passion To Transcend Thought”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 21, page 12:
   • Climbing eight flights of stairs while the elevator is out of service can easily produce some breathlessness in people whose physical fitness is otherwise not noticeably impaired.
2. (uncountable, usually) Difficult or labored breathing, as a symptom or sign of a medical condition.
   • Since he'd entered the urgent care center, his breathlessness had only gotten worse, even though he'd been sitting quietly.

Forms

Relateds

dyspnea

Synonyms

SOB · shortness of breath · dyspnea · dyspnoea

Translations (21)

ja 息切れ (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sdc rànguru (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sc èmida (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sdn diègnu (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sc antùa (state of being breathless or out of breath) · pt falta de ar (state of being breathless or out of breath) · nv yisdah (state of being breathless or out of breath) · fr essoufflement (state of being breathless or out of breath) · fi hengästyminen (state of being breathless or out of breath) · it affanno (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sh zaduha (state of being breathless or out of breath) · cmn 呼吸困難 /呼吸困难 (state of being breathless or out of breath) · de Atemlosigkeit (state of being breathless or out of breath) · ru оды́шка (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sdc pàsana (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sh nedostatak daha (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sc affannu (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sdn affasciu (state of being breathless or out of breath) · sh dispneja (state of being breathless or out of breath) · ja 呼吸困難 (state of being breathless or out of breath) · fr halètement (state of being breathless or out of breath)