hypoxemia

noun

hyp·​ox·​emia ˌhi-ˌpäk-ˈsē-mē-ə How to pronounce hypoxemia (audio) ˌhī- How to pronounce hypoxemia (audio)
: deficient oxygenation of the blood
hypoxemic adjective

Examples of hypoxemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mohammad was suffering from cerebral palsy and hypoxemia, and his brother, who was cropped out of the photos, is healthy. Seth Mandel, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025 This can lead to dangerously low levels of oxygen in the blood (hypoxemia). Sarah Hudgens, Health, 22 Sep. 2024 Low oxygen levels, known as hypoxemia, can indicate that your body isn’t getting enough oxygen. Julie Scott, Msn, Anp-Bc, Aocnp, Verywell Health, 13 Sep. 2024 And in many cases, the pulse oximeter readings were lower than measured in blood, while the concern in clinical studies has been that the devices showed erroneously higher oxygen levels in people with darker skin, meaning clinicians might miss dangerous hypoxemia, or low oxygen. Usha Lee McFarling, STAT, 16 Dec. 2022 The 2020 study—led by researchers in Michigan and published in the New England Journal of Medicine—found that pulse oximeters were nearly three times more likely to miss dangerously low blood oxygen levels (hypoxemia) in Black patients compared with white patients. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 15 Sep. 2022 Gwendena Lee-Gatewood, the chairwoman of the tribe, says the sound of her voice over radio waves (cell reception is spotty on the reservation) was reassuring for stubborn elders with silent hypoxemia refusing pulse oximeter tests or an urgent ride to the ER. Mark Oprea, Time, 12 Nov. 2021

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypoxemia was circa 1886

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hypoxemia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypoxemia. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

hypoxemia

noun
hyp·​ox·​emia
variants or chiefly British hypoxaemia
: deficient oxygenation of the blood
hypoxemic adjective
or chiefly British hypoxaemic

More from Merriam-Webster on hypoxemia

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