altitude sickness

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. a condition affecting some persons at high altitudes, caused by insufficient oxygen in the blood and characterized by dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath.

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altitude sickness British  

noun

1. another name for mountain sickness

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Etymology

Origin of altitude sickness

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Of these, about 22,000 hectares are legal -- grown to be chewed as a stimulant, brewed into a tea thought to combat altitude sickness or used in religious rituals.

From Barron's • Nov. 21, 2025

"The altitude sickness always gets me - I can't fall asleep and I can't eat," she says.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2024

Lieutenant Alkonis’s family and supporters insisted that he had suffered from altitude sickness and been denied due process in a foreign court system that gave little weight to his guilty plea and repeated apologies.

From New York Times • Jan. 14, 2024

The only thing that really scared her about the climb was the possibility of altitude sickness.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2023

Coca leaves are widely used in different countries in Latin America, especially by indigenous groups, to treat stomach aches and altitude sickness, among other ceremonial uses.

From Reuters • Feb. 22, 2023