hypercapnia

noun

hy·​per·​cap·​nia ˌhī-pər-ˈkap-nē-ə 

: the presence of excessive amounts of carbon dioxide in the blood

hypercapnic

ˌhī-pər-ˈkap-nik 

adjective

Examples of hypercapnia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Too much carbon dioxide can also lead to a condition called hypercapnia, or too much CO2 in your bloodstream, which can become chronic and affect your lungs, brain, nerves and muscles, according to Cleveland Clinic. —Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from hyper- + Greek kapnos smoke; probably akin to Lithuanian kvapas breath

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

hypercapnia

noun

hy·​per·​cap·​nia -ˈkap-nē-ə 

: the presence of an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood

hypercapnic

-nik 

adjective