breathlessness

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree English breathless Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English breathlessness From breathless + -ness.

1. The state of being breathless or out of breath, especially merely temporarily from exertion.

   “Climbing eight flights of stairs while the elevator is out of service can easily produce some breathlessness in people whose physical fitness is otherwise not noticeably impaired.”

   “Dickinson's longer lines and use of ampersands ^([Bronski means dashes]) creates a breathlessness that evokes sexual excitement, an urgency that precludes, or at least, overshadows thought.”

2. Difficult or labored breathing, as a symptom or sign of a medical condition.

   “Since he'd entered the urgent care center, his breathlessness had only gotten worse, even though he'd been sitting quietly.”