pulse oximeter

noun

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Definition of pulse oximeter

: a device that measures the oxygen saturation of arterial blood in a subject by utilizing a sensor attached typically to a finger, toe, or ear to determine the percentage of oxyhemoglobin in blood pulsating through a network of capillaries

Recent Examples of pulse oximeter from the Web

Masimo’s pulse oximeters are widely used, and found in 17 of the top 20 hospitals on the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals Honor Roll.

— the motley fool, The Seattle Times, "The Motley Fool: Buying stocks ‘on margin’ is a risky venture," 3 Feb. 2018
Someone there had a pulse oximeter, a device that attaches to a person’s finger and measures the oxygen level in the blood, which can indicate how the person is breathing.

— kimberly fornek, chicagotribune.com, "Ballroom dance students called on nursing skills to save Hinsdale dance teacher," 15 June 2018
While the company sells an array of products, its bread-and-butter business is pulse oximeters.

— the motley fool, Houston Chronicle, "The Motley Fool: Buying 'on margin'," 6 Feb. 2018
While the company sells an array of products, its bread-and-butter business is pulse oximeters.

— the motley fool, Houston Chronicle, "The Motley Fool: Buying 'on margin'," 6 Feb. 2018
While the company sells an array of products, its bread-and-butter business is pulse oximeters.

— the motley fool, Houston Chronicle, "The Motley Fool: Buying 'on margin'," 6 Feb. 2018
Technology can help, too, such as the cheap pulse oximeters to measure blood-oxygen saturation developed by Lifebox, a charity.

— The Economist, "Kindest cutIt is wrong to see surgery as an expensive luxury," 26 Apr. 2018
While the company sells an array of products, its bread-and-butter business is pulse oximeters.

— the motley fool, Houston Chronicle, "The Motley Fool: Buying 'on margin'," 6 Feb. 2018
Fingertip fatigue reader The Masimo MightySat pulse oximeter is a convenient finger-clamp device that provides instant measurements of blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, respiration rate and respiration variability.

— roy m. wallack, latimes.com, "10 fitness and lifestyle devices you've never heard of — but will want right now," 20 Apr. 2018

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

First Known Use of pulse oximeter

1986

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Medical Dictionary

pulse oximeter

noun

medical Definition of pulse oximeter

: a device that measures the oxygen saturation of arterial blood in an individual by utilizing a sensor attached typically to a finger, toe, or ear to determine the percentage of oxyhemoglobin in blood pulsating through a network of capillaries and that typically sounds an alarm if the blood saturation becomes less than optimal

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