asphyxiate — to kill someone by preventing them from breathing; to suffocate
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to kill someone by preventing them from breathing; to suffocate
Pronunciation (IPA): /æsˈfɪksiˌeɪt/
Example Sentences
- The victim was asphyxiated by the toxic fumes from the factory.
- My roommate's cooking is so bad it could asphyxiate a food critic.
- I thought my dad's cologne would asphyxiate everyone in the elevator.
asphyxiate
VERB[/æsˈfɪksiˌeɪt/]
to kill someone by preventing them from breathing; to suffocate
The firefighter pulled the man out before the smoke could asphyxiate him completely.
I appreciate your pain, let's negotiate before you asphyxiate!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Greek, derived from the notion of a stopped pulse. Ancient Greeks believed that when breathing ceased, the pulse would also stop, linking respiratory failure directly to cardiac suspension.
Breakdown
a- (without) + sphyxis (pulse) + -ate (verb suffix), literally meaning 'to deprive of pulse' or 'to cause pulselessness'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The victim was asphyxiated by the toxic fumes from the factory.”
“My roommate's cooking is so bad it could asphyxiate a food critic.”
“I thought my dad's cologne would asphyxiate everyone in the elevator.”
“Carbon monoxide can silently asphyxiate sleeping victims.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.