Definition

A sudden tightening of the muscles in the airways, making it hard to breathe, often seen in conditions like asthma.

Example

During the asthma attack, she experienced a bronchospasm that made it difficult to catch her breath.

Conversation

I heard you had some trouble breathing last night.

Yeah, I experienced a really bad bronchospasm during the night.

That sounds really scary! Did you have to use your inhaler?

I did, and it helped a lot, but I still felt pretty anxious.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bronchospasm is formed from "broncho-" (from Greek "bronchos", meaning windpipe or bronchus) and "spasm" (from Greek "spasmos", meaning a sudden involuntary contraction). The term describes a sudden contraction of the muscles in the bronchial tubes, leading to narrowing of the airways.

Memory Tip

Think of 'broncho-' referring to the windpipe and 'spasm' meaning a sudden contraction — together, they describe a sudden tightening in the airways.

Visually Confused Words