hypoxia

noun

hyp·​ox·​ia hi-ˈpäk-sē-ə How to pronounce hypoxia (audio) hī- How to pronounce hypoxia (audio)
: a deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues of the body

Examples of hypoxia in a Sentence

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To convey the brutality of the method, activists tend to bring up the counsel of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, which has advised that nitrogen hypoxia is not fit to put down any mammal. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026 Alabama started using nitrogen hypoxia, a method of asphyxiation, in 2024. — Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 Pilots will lower a plane's altitude because of a pressurization issue to prevent life-threatening conditions, like hypoxia, which occurs when the body doesn't receive enough oxygen, per the FAA. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 The document lists the underlying cause as respiratory arrest with other significant conditions contributing to death including cerebellar metastasis, hypoxia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hypoxia

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypoxia was in 1941

Rhymes for hypoxia

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Browse Nearby Words

hypoxemic
hypoxia
hypoxic
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Cite this Entry

“Hypoxia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypoxia. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

hypoxia

noun
hyp·​ox·​ia hip-ˈäk-sē-ə How to pronounce hypoxia (audio) hī-ˈpäk- How to pronounce hypoxia (audio)
: a deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues of the body
Mountain sickness is caused primarily by a lack of oxygen, or hypoxia. Atmospheric pressure decreases as one moves away from sea level, and because the percentage of oxygen in air remains constant, the concentration of oxygen is decreased. Lower levels of oxygen initiate a series of potentially fatal physiological changes.—Charles S. Houston, Scientific American

More from Merriam-Webster on hypoxia

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hypoxia

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