'asphyxia' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ἀσφυξία' (asphyxía), where 'a-' meant 'without' and 'sphux-' (σφυξ-) meant 'pulse' or 'heartbeat'.

'asphyxia' changed from the Greek word 'ἀσφυξία' into Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'asphyxia' and was adopted into English (modern form 'asphyxia') via scholarly and medical Latin usage.

Initially, it meant 'absence of pulse' (literally 'without pulse'), but over time it evolved into the current meaning of 'suffocation or oxygen deprivation leading to unconsciousness or death'.