What is death by submersion in fluid referred to as?

Death by submersion in fluid is referred to as drowning. Drowning occurs when an individual is unable to breathe due to being submerged in water or another fluid, leading to a lack of oxygen and ultimately death if rescue does not occur in time. The process typically involves the inhalation of water, which prevents the lungs from functioning properly and can rapidly lead to asphyxia.

While asphyxiation is a broader term that encompasses any situation where the body is deprived of oxygen, drowning specifically denotes the scenario involving submersion in a liquid. Suffocation generally refers to the inability to breathe due to a physical obstruction or restriction of airflow, such as being deprived of oxygen in an enclosed space, and strangulation refers to the compression of the throat that restricts airflow. Thus, those terms do not accurately describe the specific act of dying from submersion in fluid, making drowning the precise term.