altitude sickness

noun

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of altitude sickness

: the effects (such as headache, nausea, or swelling of the brain) of oxygen deficiency in the blood and tissues developed at high altitudes having reduced atmospheric pressure — see mountain sickness

Recent Examples of altitude sickness from the Web

So far, 19 people, some of whom will hike the mountain a week earlier to avoid altitude sickness, have signed up.

— naureen s. malik, chicagotribune.com, "If the Boston Marathon is too easy, try these crazy runs," 13 Apr. 2018
Lee's Summit resident Jim Flath said his son, James Flath, died of respiratory failure from a combination of influenza and altitude sickness March 18 during a family ski trip in Colorado.

— andy marso, kansascity, "Flu takes life of young Lenexa man. Family's kindness campaign honors his memory | The Kansas City Star," 28 Mar. 2018
It’s been used to help climbers in the Himalayas avoid altitude sickness, and documented as a treatment for pulmonary hypertension in pre-term babies.

— kate morgan, The Cut, "Viagra’s Other Life as a Female Fertility Aid," 27 Mar. 2018
Poor weather prevented the team from reaching Mackiewicz, who had snow blindness and altitude sickness, Karrar Haidri, a top official in the Pakistan Alpine Federation, said Sunday.

— zarar khan, The Seattle Times, "Rescuers in Pakistan call off efforts to save Polish climber," 28 Jan. 2018
Until now, however, they’ve always been considered a symptom of traditional altitude sickness.

— amanda macmillan, Time, "Climbing Mountains Can Cause Psychosis, Researchers Say," 18 Dec. 2017
Acute altitude sickness can be life-threatening if breathing problems or brain swelling occurs, and symptoms tend to last longer—even while a climber is descending.

— amanda macmillan, Time, "Climbing Mountains Can Cause Psychosis, Researchers Say," 18 Dec. 2017
Of the 300,000 trekkers who in 2015 attempted the climb, 29 were involved in accidents or were rescued due to conditions including heart attacks and altitude sickness.

— gilles mingasson, Smithsonian, "Why Mount Fuji Endures As a Powerful Force in Japan," 29 May 2017

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

First Known Use of altitude sickness

1901

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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