hypoxemia
|haɪ-pɑk-siː-mi-ə|
🇺🇸
/ˌhaɪpɑkˈsiːmiə/
🇬🇧
/ˌhaɪpɒkˈsiːmiə/
low oxygen in blood
Etymology
'hypoxemia' originates from New Latin/modern medical coinage, specifically constructed from the Greek prefix 'hypo-' meaning 'under/less', the element 'oxygen' (from Greek 'oxys' meaning 'sharp/acid', used for 'oxygen'), and the Greek noun 'haima' meaning 'blood'.
'hypoxemia' entered medical English in the 20th century as a compound combining 'hypo-' + 'oxygen' + '-emia'; the variant British spelling 'hypoxaemia' also appears and the term relates to 'hypoxia' (low oxygen) plus the suffix '-emia' (blood condition).
Initially, it meant 'a condition of low oxygen in the blood', and this core meaning has remained stable in modern medical usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an abnormally low concentration of oxygen in the blood, especially in arterial blood; a clinical condition indicating reduced oxygenation of the bloodstream.
The patient developed hypoxemia after the operation and required supplemental oxygen.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/28 19:56