EPOC
/epok/from spelling rulesfeminine
In Spanish, COPD is translated as EPOC.
EPOC is the term used to refer to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Meaning: disease (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The acronym EPOC is an abbreviation of the phrase enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, which literally means chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the phrase refers to enfermedad (a feminine noun), the acronym EPOC takes the feminine article la, as in la EPOC.
How do you pronounce it?
/epok/
Did you know?
- While EPOC is the official medical term, some Spanish speakers colloquially refer to it as el mal del fumador when the cause is smoking.
- Because la EPOC refers to a chronic condition, doctors in Spanish-speaking countries often use the verb padecer rather than tener to describe living with the disease.
- In Spanish, the word enfermedad comes from the Latin infirmitas, sharing a root with the English word 'infirm'.
Examples in context
- Los investigadores dicen que las células pueden ser las responsables de la hipersensibilidad química característica de las enfermedades respiratorias como la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC) y el asma.The researchers say the cells might be responsible for the chemical hypersensitivity that characterizes respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.This sentence shows how to use EPOC when discussing respiratory diseases and chemical hypersensitivity.Tatoeba #11776615 by Masatami, translation #11775523 by Cangarejo
- Tengo EPOC, una enfermedad pulmonar que afecta mi capacidad para respirarI have COPD, a lung disease that affects my ability to breathe
- La EPOC afecta a muchos fumadores.COPD affects many smokers.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are talking about a family health issue.
- ElenaAlejandro, ¿cómo está tu padre?Alejandro, how is your father?
- AlejandroNo muy bien, tiene EPOC.Not very well, he has COPD.
- ElenaLo siento mucho, Elena lo lamenta.I am very sorry, Elena regrets it.
- AlejandroGracias por preguntar, Elena.Thank you for asking, Elena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “copd” translations and entries EPOC, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
