asthma
nounUK /ˈasmə/ · US /ˈæzmə/
Etymology From Middle English asma, asme, from Medieval Latin asthma, asma, from Ancient Greek ἆσθμα (âsthma, “laborious breathing, asthma”). The spelling was changed to add -th- in the 16th century to match the Greek etymological roots.
1
Medicine, Pathology, Sciences Usually A long-term respiratory condition, in which the airways may unexpectedly and suddenly narrow, often in response to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional stress. Symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.
- ...but rheumatism is a vulgar complaint, and would sink even a ducal coronet—the very lowest people have it. I question if there is a workhouse in Great Britain exempt from it. Neither is there one free from asthma, and yet all the world knows a royal duke suffers from it as much as a coalheaver might do;...1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter LV, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 74:
- "He kind of spat," said Piggy. "My auntie wouldn't let me blow on account of my asthma. He said you blew from down here." Piggy laid a hand on his jutting abdomen.1954, William Golding, Lord of the Flies:
2 more examples
- Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.2013 June 29, “A punch in the gut”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, pages 72–3:
- Twiggs was in a wheelchair during her appearance and suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and diabetes, according to her sister, Anna Twiggs.2018 April 23, Chuck Johnston, “Judge not allowed back to court after berating woman who died”, in CNN, archived from the original on 12 Nov 2025:
- Derived terms
- antasthmatic, antiasthma, antiasthmatic, asthma attack, asthmalike, asthma paper, asthma-plant, asthma thunderstorm, asthmatic, asthmatically, asthma weed, asthmogenesis, grinder's asthma, hay-asthma, I have asthma, nonasthma, potter's asthma, thunderstorm asthma