Medical Suffix

-pnea

breathing

From Greek pnoia, breath, from pnein, to breathe

Meaning

What does -pnea mean?

-pnea is a suffix meaning breathing. It comes from Greek pnoia, breath, from pnein, to breathe.

British texts spell it -pnoea: apnoea, dyspnoea, tachypnoea.

In real words

apnea
1. Prefixa-without, not
2. Suffix-pneabreathing
a pause in breathing or its complete absence · UK spelling: apnoea
dyspnea
1. Prefixdys-bad, difficult, painful, abnormal
2. Suffix-pneabreathing
shortness of breath; breathing that is hard or labored · UK spelling: dyspnoea
tachypnea
1. Prefixtachy-fast, rapid
2. Suffix-pneabreathing
abnormally fast breathing · UK spelling: tachypnoea
bradypnea
1. Prefixbrady-slow
2. Suffix-pneabreathing
abnormally slow breathing · UK spelling: bradypnoea
eupnea
1. Prefixeu-good, normal, well
2. Suffix-pneabreathing
normal, easy, rhythmic breathing at rest · UK spelling: eupnoea

Sources

Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:

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Practice it

-pnea is one of 12 parts in this lesson. Learn them together, then take real words apart.