What does stridor mean?
Stridor is a medical term for a harsh, high-pitched breathing sound, most often caused by partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway. It may occur during inspiration, expiration, or both breathing phases, and its presence can signal a serious respiratory problem. The sound is commonly associated with conditions such as croup, anaphylaxis, epiglottitis, or foreign-body obstruction. In clinical settings, stridor is distinguished from wheezing, which is generally lower-pitched and more musical. Because a new or worsening stridor may indicate threatened breathing, it requires prompt assessment. In general writing, the related word stridency refers more often to the harsh or abrasive quality of a voice, speech, or sound rather than to an abnormal breathing sound.
nounA harsh, high-pitched breathing sound, especially one caused by obstruction of the upper airway. The term is most often used in medical contexts to describe a serious symptom of respiratory distress.
- A harsh, high-pitched sound heard during breathing, especially with obstruction of the larynx or trachea.
- The noisy breathing that results from such an obstruction.
"The patient's worsening stridor indicated an obstructed airway and required urgent medical attention."
"A child with croup may develop inspiratory stridor that becomes more pronounced when distressed."
"The clinician immediately recognized the stridor as a sign of impending airway compromise."
Plural forms are uncommon in general writing but may appear in medical or academic descriptions of multiple cases or findings.
"The report described stridors in several patients with upper-airway obstruction."
A stridor can sound like a bird's harsh call, but in medicine it is an important warning sign of upper-airway obstruction.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does stridor come from?
Stridor comes from Latin, where stridor meant a shrill sound, shriek, or creaking noise. The word was borrowed into English in the 17th century for a loud or harsh sound, and its medical use developed later. Related English words include strident and stridency, which share the Latin root stridere, meaning to make a harsh or grating sound. The modern meaning was firmly established in medical literature by the 19th century.
Related word forms
How stridor is actually used
Primarily a medical term. Stridor is distinguished from other abnormal breathing sounds by its high-pitched, harsh quality and is commonly categorized as inspiratory, expiratory, or mixed, depending on where the obstruction occurs.
Easily confused with stridor
A wheeze is a musical or whistling sound caused by narrowing of the airways, whereas stridor is typically a harsh, high-pitched sound associated with upper-airway obstruction.
Stridor is a medical term for a breathing sound, while stridency usually describes a harsh or abrasive quality in a voice, speech, or sound.