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asphyxia

asphyxia

8 8.6
A condition in which a person cannot breathe and becomes unconscious from lack of oxygen
  • noun
  • /æˈsfɪkʃə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : asfixia
  • "I'm afraid they died of asphyxia when the car caught fire after the crash," he said.
  • died of asphyxia
  • caused by asphyxia
  • autoerotic asphyxia

Examples

  • So in fact, he died as his son was trying to drag him from the island, probably from asphyxia, from the vapors from this volcano.

  • Investigators determined that the cause of her death was asphyxia resulting from drowning in the pool.

  • Seems the cause of death was asphyxia.

  • - No signs of asphyxia.

  • Or then, he could be suffering from some form of asphyxia.

  • Now the death certificate listed probable accident asphyxia as the cause of death.

  • Fetal asphyxia and neonatal death are also significant risks.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Anything over 15 and you get impaired judgment, blackouts, the beginnings of brain asphyxia.

  • Pneumonia or sepsis, pre-term delivery, and asphyxia at birth are the leading causes of neonatal deaths.

    Blog text (21)
  • The victim was pronounced dead at the scene due to asphyxia caused by choking on food.

Synonyms

asphyxiation
vsasphyxia
  • Specialized
25 9.6

Not enough oxygen in the body that makes you lose consciousness or die

is the medical condition resulting from that oxygen deprivation
suffocation
vsasphyxia
20 5.2

Not being able to breathe because there is not enough air

is a condition from lack of oxygen covering many causes including drowning
anoxia
vsasphyxia
  • Specialized
4 9.3

Complete lack of oxygen in the body that can quickly damage the brain

is the clinical result of oxygen deprivation causing unconsciousness or death

Antonyms

oxygenation
  • Specialized
4 5.1

The process of giving oxygen to blood, tissues, or water

1.0

Showing signs of life by moving air in and out of the lungs

How Severe

death
1.0
asphyxia
  • Specialized
8 8.6
hypoxia
  • Specialized
9 7.9

Surface Forms

asphyxia singular
asphyxias plural

Morphology

asphyxia = a + sphyx + ia

Although built from the privative prefix 'a-' and the nominalizing suffix '-ia', the root 'sphyx' (pulse/throb) is not a productive or familiar English base, so learners cannot derive the meaning from the parts.

Etymology

Asphyxia comes from Greek parts a- meaning 'without' and sphyx meaning 'pulse'. So, asphyxia describes when someone cannot breathe and their body has no pulse because of a severe lack of oxygen.