-pnea

1. a combining form meaning “breath, respiration,” used in the formation of compound words that denote a kind of breathing or condition of the respiratory system, as specified by the initial element:

   dyspnea; hyperpnea.

Word History and Origins

Origin of -pnea¹

< Greek -pnoia, akin to pneîn to breathe; pneuma

Word That Use -pnea

What does -pnea mean?

The combining form -pnea is used like a suffix meaning “breath, respiration.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in pathology.

The form -pnea comes from the Greek pneîn, meaning “to breathe.”

What are variants of –pnea?

In British English, -pnea is commonly spelled -pnoea.

Examples of -pnea

One common word featuring -pnea is apnea, meaning “temporary suspension of breathing.” This is a medical condition that many people suffer from, particularly during sleep.

As we’ve seen, -pnea refers to “breath.” The prefix a-, here, means “not, without.” That means apnea literally translates to “without breath.”

What are some words that use the combining form –pnea?

• dyspnea
• eupnea
• hyperpnea

What are some other forms that –pnea may be commonly confused with?

• -penia
• pleur-
• pneumo-

The word pneumonia, a respiratory illness, comes from the Greek pneúmōn, meaning “lung” and which is related to -pnea, which, if you’ll recall, is from the Greek pneîn, meaning “to breathe.” Can you see the connection?

Break it down!

The prefix hyper- is borrowed from Greek to mean “over” (implying excess). With that in mind, what do you deduce hyperpnea is?