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
- The cessation of breathing
Ancestry of “apnea”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Latin | apnoea | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἄπνοια | want of wind, calm |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἄπνοος | without wind, with but little air; unventilated,... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἀ- | The alpha privativum, used to make words that... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | hə- | same; together |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sm̥- | one; with, together |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |