Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “apnea” come from?

Apnea derives from English a-, English a, English and, Latin ad-, Latin ad, Proto-Indo-European h₂epo, and Proto-Indo-European al-, tracing a prefix chain indicating direction or proximity toward a state of absence or negation.

apnea (English): The cessation of breathing

Definitions

  1. The cessation of breathing

Ancestry of “apnea”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1New Latinapnoea—
2Ancient Greekἄπνοιαwant of wind, calm
3Ancient Greekἄπνοοςwithout wind, with but little air; unventilated,...
4Ancient Greekἀ-The alpha privativum, used to make words that...
5Proto-Hellenichə-same; together
6Proto-Indo-Europeansm̥-one; with, together
7Proto-Indo-Europeansem-together, one

Words derived from “apnea”

  • apneic
  • anapnea
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sem- →