Definition

A medical condition characterized by difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath.

Example

The patient experienced dyspnoea during the physical examination.

Conversation

Have you ever experienced dyspnoea during exercise?

Not really, but I’ve heard it can be quite alarming.

Yeah, it definitely makes you feel short of breath.

I can imagine! It's important to know how to manage it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dyspnoea is formed from "dys-" (meaning difficult or bad) and "pnoia" (from Greek "pnoia", meaning breath). The word describes a condition of having difficulty in breathing.

Memory Tip

Think of 'dys-' meaning difficult and 'pnoia' relating to breath — dyspnoea refers to having difficulty breathing.

Visually Confused Words