# asthma

Pronunciation: US say "AZ-muh" /ˈæzmə/; UK say "AS-muh" /ˈasmə/

## Noun

1. A long-term condition in which the airways narrow suddenly and unexpectedly, often triggered by allergens, cold air, exercise, or stress, causing wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing.
   - Simple: A long-term illness that makes the airways tighten, causing wheezing and trouble breathing.
   - _The child's asthma flared up during pollen season, leaving her gasping for air._
   - _Many factory workers developed asthma after years of breathing in chemical fumes._

## Origin

This word comes from Middle English asma or asme, from Medieval Latin asthma, which came from Ancient Greek âsthma meaning 'laborious breathing, asthma'. The '-th-' was added to the spelling in the 16th century to match the Greek roots.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/asthma (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).