agónico

agonizing

adjective ah-GOH-nee-koh Rare

Origin: From Greek agōn (contest, struggle).

Also means

death-throes (attributive)

Usage Note

Agónico describes something relating to extreme suffering or the final struggle before death — un grito agónico ('an agonizing cry'). It can also describe a prolonged, torturous process: una espera agónica ('an agonizing wait'). Be aware it is a false friend with English 'agonic' (relating to having no magnetic declination), which has no relevance here.

Examples

"El enfermo emitió un grito agónico."

Natural Translation

The sick man let out an agonizing cry.

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