cyanosis

American  

[sahy-uh-noh-sis] / ˌsaɪ əˈnoʊ sɪs /

noun

Pathology.

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

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cyanosis British  

/ ˌsaɪəˈnəʊsɪs /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• hypercyanosis
  noun
• cyanotic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cyanosis

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cyanosis

"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."

From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2023

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.

From Scientific American ● Apr. 3, 2020

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."

From Fox News ● Dec. 22, 2019

"When that system is halted, gasp as he might, a person's cells can no longer access life-giving oxygen. As death nears, the person's skin can turn blue. It's a clinical effect called cyanosis."

From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2015

From the great extent of the venous congestion, the disease often assumed the aspect of asphyxia; and in some instances the colour of the patients resembled that of persons labouring under cyanosis.

From An Investigation into the Nature of Black Phthisis or Ulceration Induced by Carbonaceous Accumulation in the Lungs of Coal Miners by Archibald Makellar