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

3 a :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

—

aerobically

play \-bi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See aerobic defined for English-language learners

See aerobic defined for kids

Examples of aerobic in a Sentence

aerobic exercises like running and swimming
aerobic organisms such as bacteria

Recent Examples of aerobic from the Web

Zhang is also the principal investigator for a five-year study investigating whether aerobic exercise combined with intensive control of hypertension and cholesterol can help prevent Alzheimer’s.

— judith graham, Kaiser Health News, "These Preventive Measures Might Help Delay Dementia Or Cognitive Decline," 20 July 2017
By building and maintaining an aerobic compost bin this summer, The Children's Museum is providing a lesson about sustainable waste reduction as well as teaching biology, chemistry, and environmental science in a hands-on format.

— Courant Community, "Community News for the West Hartford Edition," 17 July 2017
By building and maintaining an aerobic compost bin this summer, The Children's Museum is providing a lesson about sustainable waste reduction as well as teaching biology, chemistry, and environmental science in a hands-on format.

— Courant Community, "Community News for the West Hartford Edition," 17 July 2017
Adults should do aerobic exercise (like walking, swimming, biking or running) at moderate intensity for a total of 150 minutes per week or at vigorous intensity for 75 minutes per week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

— brianna mcgurran, The Seattle Times, "Ask Brianna: How can I eat well and stay fit on a budget?," 11 July 2017
Adding aerobic exercise helped drive both risks down even more.

— mandy oaklander, Time, "How Strength Training Changes Your Body For Good," 6 July 2017
By building and maintaining an aerobic compost bin this summer, The Children's Museum is providing a lesson about sustainable waste reduction as well as teaching biology, chemistry, and environmental science in a hands-on format.

— Courant Community, "Community News for the West Hartford Edition," 3 July 2017
By building and maintaining an aerobic compost bin this summer, The Children's Museum is providing a lesson about sustainable waste reduction as well as teaching biology, chemistry, and environmental science in a hands-on format.

— Courant Community, "Community News for the West Hartford Edition," 27 June 2017
For healthy pregnant and postpartum women, ACOG recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, like brisk walking.

— korin miller, SELF, "Alysia Montaño Ran an 800-Meter Race While 5 Months Pregnant," 26 June 2017

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.

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.

First Known Use of aerobic

1875

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

AEROBIC Defined for English Language Learners

aerobic

adjective

Definition of aerobic for English Language Learners

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

Medical 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

3 a :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