'hypoxaemia' originates from New Latin and Greek elements: from Greek 'hypo-' meaning 'under, below', Greek 'oxys' (used for 'oxygen'), and Greek 'haima' meaning 'blood'.

'hypoxaemia' developed via New Latin and modern medical coinage combining 'hypo-' + 'ox-' (oxygen) + '-aemia' (from Greek 'haima' through Latin), with the alternative American spelling 'hypoxemia' emerging as a variant form.

Initially formed to denote 'insufficient oxygen in the blood'; this core meaning has remained stable in modern medical usage.