Meaning
apnoea, breath-holding
- The temporary cessation of breathing, either voluntary or medical.
- Free diving without scuba apparatus.
In a sentence
Riesce a nuotare per cinquanta metri sott'acqua in apnea.
He can swim fifty metres underwater while holding his breath.
Il medico gli ha diagnosticato una grave apnea notturna.
The doctor diagnosed him with severe sleep apnoea.
Abbiamo seguito gli ultimi minuti della partita tutti in apnea.
We followed the last minutes of the match holding our breath.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| apnea | feminine · singular |
| apnee | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Pronounced with open 'e' and stress on the penultimate syllable: /apˈnɛ.a/.
- The phrase 'in apnea' is used both literally (holding one's breath) and figuratively (in extreme suspense or rush).