How to Pronounce Apnea

Apnea is pronounced AP-nee-ah. The first syllable, AP, is said like the letters A and P together, and the stress (or emphasis) goes on that first syllable. The second part, nee-ah, rhymes with the word 'see' followed by 'uh.'

Apnea has three syllables: AP-nee-ah. If you clap once for each syllable as you say the word, you'll clap three times.

The first syllable, AP, gets the stress—you say it a bit louder and hold it slightly longer than the other syllables. A common mistake is putting stress on the second syllable (ap-NEE-ah), but that's not correct.

Some people accidentally say ap-NAY-ah or ap-NEE-ah with stress on the wrong syllable. Others might say APP-nee-ah, adding an extra 'p' sound. The correct way is always AP-nee-ah, with the stress on the first syllable.

Apnea comes from Greek roots: the prefix 'a-' means 'without' and 'pnea' relates to breathing. So the word literally means 'without breathing.' This is why you'll see the root 'pnea' in other breathing-related medical words too.

Apnea simply means a pause or stop in breathing. It's a temporary moment when breathing stops for a short time, though it can happen repeatedly.

Sleep apnea is often shortened to 'SA' in medical writing. You might also see 'OSA,' which stands for obstructive sleep apnea—that's when something physically blocks the airway.

Words like 'dyspnea' (dis-PNE-ah), which means difficult breathing, and 'hyperpnea' (hy-per-PNE-ah), which means rapid or deep breathing, both use the same 'pnea' root about breathing. 'Tachypnea' (tak-IP-nee-ah) means abnormally fast breathing.

You might say: 'The sleep specialist explained that my uncle experiences frequent episodes of apnea during the night.' Or: 'Apnea is a medical term that describes temporary stops in breathing.'