What does asthmatically mean?
Asthmatically is an adverb meaning in a manner characteristic of asthma — that is, with wheezing, labored, or difficult breathing. It is formed from the adjective 'asthmatic', itself derived from the Greek 'asthma', meaning short-drawn or panting breath. The word appears most often in descriptive prose, where writers use it to convey breathlessness: a character might laugh asthmatically, climb stairs asthmatically, or speak asthmatically between pauses for air. It can apply literally to people or animals with asthma, but it is also used figuratively for anything that sounds strained, wheezy, or out of breath, such as an old engine or an aging voice. Though not common in everyday speech, it is a precise and evocative word, useful when a writer wants to describe the quality of breathing rather than merely its absence. Its register leans formal or literary rather than colloquial.
adverbIn a manner relating to or characteristic of asthma; with labored, wheezing breathing resembling that of someone suffering from asthma.
- In a manner characteristic of asthma; with wheezing or labored breathing.
"After the steep climb he stood asthmatically gasping at the summit."
"He laughed asthmatically, each breath catching in his chest."
"The old dog climbed the stairs asthmatically, pausing on every step."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of asthmatically
Asthmatically derives ultimately from the Greek 'asthma', meaning 'short-drawn breath' or 'panting', which passed into Latin as 'asthma' and then into English via medical Latin. The adjective 'asthmatic' developed from this root, and the adverb was later formed by adding the standard adverbial suffix '-ally'. Cognates sharing the Greek root include the related respiratory term family around 'asthma' and 'asthmatic'; the same Greek element also connects distantly to words such as 'pneumatic', from the broader Greek vocabulary of breath and air.
Related word forms
How asthmatically is actually used
A relatively rare adverb, formed from 'asthmatic' + '-ally'. Used mostly in descriptive literary or medical-adjacent writing.
Easily confused with asthmatically
'Asthmatic' is an adjective or noun describing a person or condition affected by asthma, while 'asthmatically' is the adverb describing how an action is performed.