asthma

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: asth=ma

CIDE DICTIONARY

asthma, n. [Gr. short-drawn breath, fr. to blow, for : cf. Skr. vā, Goth. waian, to blow, E. wind.].

 A disease, characterized by difficulty of breathing (due to a spasmodic contraction of the bronchi), recurring at intervals, accompanied with a wheezing sound, a sense of constriction in the chest, a cough, and expectoration.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

asthma, n. a usu. allergic respiratory disease, often with paroxysms of difficult breathing.

Etymology

ME f. Gk asthma -matos f. azo breathe hard

THESAURUS

asthma

Asiatic flu, Hong Kong flu, abscess, acute bronchitis, adenoiditis, ague, allergen, allergic disorder, allergy, aluminosis, amygdalitis, anemia, ankylosis, anoxia, anthracosilicosis, anthracosis, apnea, asbestosis, asphyxiation, ataxia, atrophy, atypical pneumonia, backache, bituminosis, black lung, bleeding, blennorhea, bronchial pneumonia, bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, cachexia, cachexy, catarrh, chalicosis, chill, chills, chronic bronchitis, cold, colic, collapsed lung, common cold, coniosis, conjunctivitis, constipation, convulsion, coryza, cosmetic dermatitis, coughing, croup, croupous pneumonia, cyanosis, diarrhea, dizziness, double pneumonia, dropsy, dry pleurisy, dysentery, dyspepsia, dyspnea, eczema, edema, emaciation, emphysema, empyema, epidemic pleurodynia, fainting, fatigue, fever, fibrillation, fibrinous pneumonia, flu, flux, grippe, growth, hay fever, hemorrhage, high blood pressure, hives, hydrops, hypertension, hypotension, icterus, indigestion, inflammation, influenza, insomnia, itching, jaundice, la grippe, labored breathing, laryngitis, lipoid pneumonia, lobar pneumonia, low blood pressure, lumbago, lung cancer, lung fever, marasmus, nasal discharge, nausea, necrosis, pain, paralysis, pharyngitis, pleurisy, pleuritis, pneumococcal pneumonia, pneumoconiosis, pneumonia, pneumonic fever, pneumothorax, pollinosis, pruritus, quinsy, rash, rheum, rose cold, sclerosis, seizure, shock, siderosis, silicosis, skin eruption, sneezing, sore, sore throat, spasm, swine flu, tabes, tachycardia, the sniffles, the snuffles, tonsilitis, tumor, upset stomach, urticaria, vertigo, virus pneumonia, vomiting, wasting, wet pleurisy, whooping cough