oximeter

noun

ox·​im·​e·​ter äk-ˈsi-mə-tər How to pronounce oximeter (audio)
plural oximeters
: a noninvasive medical device for measuring continuously or intermittently the degree of oxygen saturation of circulating blood or a localized region of tissue
especially : pulse oximeter
oximetric adjective
oximetric sensors

Examples of oximeter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One baby is seen decomposing while lying alone, appearing to still be connected to an oximeter with a green oxygen tank nearby, as insects appear to crawl on its chest. Yasmine Salam, NBC News, 2 Dec. 2023 The oximeter’s finger probe often picks up better after a few seconds. Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2015 Why not do the same for the oximeter? Washington Post, 23 Sep. 2020 Among others, Israeli tech startup, Oxitone Medical, provides a wearable, FDA-cleared pulse-oximeter that continuously generates multiple critical physiological parameters. Mark Minevich, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2021 If an oximeter shows that one's oxygen saturation is low, this could be a sign to take your loved one for medical attention. Courtney Campbell, USA TODAY, 24 Nov. 2020 It is equipped with heart rate and pulse-oximeter sensors. Jim Cobb, Field & Stream, 14 Feb. 2023 Richard got up from the gurney, straightened his shirt and removed the pulse-oximeter. Douglas G Adler, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015 The village clinic is not equipped with oxygen tanks or even an oximeter to detect if someone’s blood is dangerously deprived of oxygen. Olivia Wang, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oximeter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "an instrument for measuring atmospheric or dissolved oxygen," from oxi- (respelling of oxy by assimilation to the linking vowel -i-) + -meter

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oximeter was in 1942

Dictionary Entries Near oximeter

Cite this Entry

“Oximeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oximeter. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

oximeter

noun
ox·​im·​e·​ter äk-ˈsim-ət-ər How to pronounce oximeter (audio)
: a noninvasive medical device for measuring continuously or intermittently the degree of oxygen saturation of circulating blood or a localized region of tissue
especially : pulse oximeter
oximetric adjective
oximetric sensors
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