Stridor

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈstɹaɪdɚ/

Definitions

1. A high-pitched, wheezing sound resulting from disrupted airflow in the upper respiratory tract
2. it typically indicates respiratory distress or obstruction in a medical context
3. this noise often signifies serious conditions requiring immediate attention

Etymology: Stridor comes straight from Latin "strīdor," a noun meaning a shrill or harsh sound, which was itself formed from the verb "strīdō," to make such a sound. The Latin verb carried the idea of a grating, creaking, or hissing noise, and the noun kept that sense of a piercing rasp rather than a pleasant tone. In English the word stayed close to that acoustic meaning. What makes it distinctive is that its use is now almost entirely medical: it names the high-pitched, whistling breath heard when the upper airway is narrowed, most often in the throat or windpipe. Because a narrowed airway can quickly become dangerous, the sound is a warning sign that clinicians treat as urgent, which is why the word carries such weight today. The Latin root survives in its literal sense, a harsh noise, but the English word has narrowed to one specific and alarming sound.