What does wheezer mean?
A wheezer is a person who makes a high-pitched, rasping, or whistling sound while breathing. The word is especially used for someone with asthma, bronchitis, a severe cold, or another condition that makes respiration noisy and difficult. In ordinary conversation, “wheezer” is an informal label rather than a medical term, and its tone can range from affectionate to teasing or mildly disparaging. It often describes a child or older person who becomes noticeably breathless during ordinary activity. The related verb “to wheeze” describes the sound or act of breathing in this manner, while the adjective “wheezy” characterizes a person, voice, or sound. Although a wheezer is defined primarily by a recognizable breathing sound, the word can also convey the impression of persistent frailty or respiratory difficulty. It is therefore useful for describing both the audible symptom and the person associated with it.
nounA person who wheezes, especially someone whose breathing produces a high-pitched or rasping sound. The term can also refer to a person who makes such a sound regularly.
- A person who wheezes, especially one whose breathing is audible and strained.
"By the end of the long climb, the exhausted wheezer was barely able to catch his breath."
"The doctor asked the little wheezer to breathe deeply before examining his chest."
"What began as a mild cough eventually turned him into a permanent wheezer."
The plural is used for more than one person who wheezes.
"The two wheezers waited on the porch until the rain stopped."
A wheezer is best heard before it is seen: the high, rasping breath announces the arrival before the person does.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of wheezer
Wheezer is an English noun formed from “wheeze” with the agentive suffix “-er,” a productive ending that identifies someone who performs an action. The base verb “wheeze” is of uncertain origin and is associated with the sound of difficult or noisy breathing. The compound sense in “wheezer” developed in ordinary English usage, alongside related forms such as “wheezy” and “wheezing,” all of which continue the same English word family.
How wheezer is actually used
The word is informal and often suggests that a person has a persistent respiratory problem. It may be affectionate, humorous, or mildly disparaging depending on context, and is used more often for a child, older person, or someone visibly short of breath.
Easily confused with wheezer
A wheezer is a person who makes a wheezing sound, while a wheeze is the sound itself or the act of breathing in that way.