aerobic

adjective

aer·o·bic | \ˌer-ˈō-bik

Definition of aerobic

1 : living, active, or occurring only in the presence of oxygen aerobic respiration

2 : of, relating to, or induced by aerobes aerobic fermentation

3a : of, relating to, or being activity which increases the body's demand for oxygen thereby resulting in marked temporary increase in respiration and heart rate stationary bicycles used for aerobic conditioning an aerobic workout Aerobic exercise involves pushing your heart rate to 70% to 85% of its maximum, and keeping it there for 20 to 60 minutes at a time.— Tara Parker-Pope

b : of or relating to the body's ability to consume oxygen during exercise … the average exerciser can skip a couple of weeks without experiencing declines in aerobic capacity or the ability of the heart and lungs to supply the muscles with oxygen … — Consumer Reports on Health

c : relating to, resulting from, or used in aerobics or aerobic activity aerobic equipment

Other Words from aerobic Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about aerobic

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Did You Know?

Aerobic exercise is exercise that takes an extended amount of time—usually ten minutes or more—but is usually performed at only moderate intensity. Running, swimming, bicycling, and cross-country skiing are classic aerobic exercises. In 1968 a best-selling book called Aerobics introduced a system of exercise for increasing the body's ability to take in and use oxygen, and today aerobics classes, often mimicking such outdoor exercise as running and bicycling, take place every afternoon in thousands of gyms and YMCAs across the country. Aerobic exercise particularly strengthens the heart and lungs, but usually has many other good effects as well. Aerobic bacteria, which need oxygen to live, are essential for breaking down living matter so that it returns to the soil. They include the famous intestinal E. coli, as well as the staph and strep bacteria that can make a visit to the hospital risky.

Examples of aerobic in a Sentence

aerobic exercises like running and swimming aerobic organisms such as bacteria

Recent Examples on the Web

The physical therapy intervention included one-on-one coaching, instructions for at-home exercise and aerobic workout sessions. — Daisy Yuhas, Scientific American, "Forget Pills and Surgery for Back Pain," 1 Oct. 2017 This was despite mountains of evidence pointing to the benefits of aerobic exercise for mental health. — Brad Stulberg, Outside Online, "Lifting Weights Helps Ease Anxiety and Depression," 5 July 2018 Researchers examined 17,989 men and women, average age 50, from 1971 to 2009, gathering health and behavioral information, including data on aerobic fitness. — Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times, "Midlife Fitness May Protect Against Later Depression," 27 June 2018 The workout combined bright leotards and upbeat dance music with aerobic exercise. — USA TODAY, "The biggest exercise fad the year you were born," 12 July 2018 One of its goals was to increase the proportion of people engage in aerobic physical activity on a regular basis. — Tess Strokes, Outside Online, "Trading Football for Fat Tires in Mississippi," 6 June 2018 Get 150 or more minutes of aerobic activity (interval walking; cycling; etc.) weekly. — Houston Chronicle, "10 steps to protect your heart, brain and body from disease and premature aging," 20 May 2018 The grade allows most to get into aerobic rhythm and hike it slow and steady. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Mount Eddy’s ‘reveal moment’ of giant Shasta," 5 July 2018 Check out your local senior center for physical exercise programs geared specifically for older people such as aerobic fitness & body toning, yoga, ballroom dance and Zumba. — Cassie Armstrong, OrlandoSentinel.com, "National Senior Health & Fitness Day: How to celebrate in Central Florida," 30 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aerobic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near aerobic

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Last Updated

22 Sep 2018

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Time Traveler for aerobic

The first known use of aerobic was in 1875

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More Definitions for aerobic

aerobic

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of aerobic

of exercise : strengthening the heart and lungs by making them work hard for several minutes or more

: using oxygen

See the full definition for aerobic in the English Language Learners Dictionary

aerobic

adjective

aer·o·bic | \ˌa(-ə)r-ˈō-bik, ˌe(-ə)r-

Medical Definition of aerobic

1 : living, active, or occurring only in the presence of oxygen aerobic respiration

2 : of, relating to, or induced by aerobes aerobic fermentation

3a : of, relating to, or being activity which increases the body's demand for oxygen thereby resulting in a marked temporary increase in respiration and heart rate aerobic exercise

b : of or relating to the body's ability to consume oxygen during exercise aerobic capacity

c : relating to, resulting from, or used in aerobics or aerobic activity aerobic shoes