cyanosis

[sahy-uh-noh-sis]

noun

Pathology.

1. blueness or lividness of the skin, as from imperfectly oxygenated blood.

cyanosis

/ ˌsaɪəˈnɒtɪk, ˌsaɪəˈnəʊsɪs /

noun

1. pathol a bluish-purple discoloration of skin and mucous membranes usually resulting from a deficiency of oxygen in the blood

Other Word Forms

• cyanotic adjective
• hypercyanosis noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cyanosis¹

First recorded in 1825–35; from New Latin, from Greek kyánōsis “dark-blue color”; cyan- ¹, -osis

Example Sentences

"The patient became cyanotic with blue lips, movements stopped, the muscles relaxed, deep breathing followed, cyanosis waned, and color returned to the lips as the patient was moved to a recovery room."

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The first thing that came to Fishbein’s mind was cyanosis — not getting enough oxygen to the tissues.

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Wright’s writing is clinical and unblinking – you stare into chest cavities, at lungs subsumed in fluid, at bodies turned blue by cyanosis, or lack of oxygen.

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Some COVID-19 patients, however had the kind of very low saturations that we associate with cyanosis and respiratory distress—but they were comfortably speaking to us or texting on their phones.

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At around 2:15 that day, employees of the plastic surgery office "discovered that Ms. Nguyen’s lips and face were blue and that cyanosis was quickly spreading to her upper extremities and torso."

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