hypoxia

American  

[hahy-pok-see-uh] / haɪˈpɒk si ə /

noun

1. Biology. a very low level of oxygen, as in an organic environment.

   The fish have developed a tolerance to the hypoxia of the swamp.

2. Pathology. an abnormally low amount of oxygen in the body tissues.

   Premature newborns are routinely placed in incubators to treat or prevent hypoxia.

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hypoxia British  

/ haɪˈpɒksɪə, haɪˈpɒksɪk /

noun

1. deficiency in the amount of oxygen delivered to the body tissues

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Other Word Forms

• hypoxic adjective

Etymology

Origin of hypoxia

First recorded in 1940–45; hyp- ( def. ) + oxy- ² ( def. ) + -ia ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does hypoxia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hypoxia vs. hypoxemia
• hypoxia vs. anoxia
• hypoxia vs. ischemia

Explanation

When a patient has hypoxia, some area of their body doesn't get enough oxygen. One of the symptoms of hypoxia is discolored skin, which can appear either bluish or bright red. There are many causes of hypoxia, which can affect either the entire body or just specific organs. Premature babies frequently suffer from hypoxia because their lungs are underdeveloped, and both mountain climbers and scuba divers are also at risk of developing hypoxia. When it occurs at high altitudes, hypoxia is called "altitude sickness." Hypoxia was coined in the mid-20th century, from the Greek hypo, "under," and oxygen.

Example Sentences

"But none of them really address hypoxia, which is the fundamental problem. We're tackling that directly."

From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2026

The researchers also found that the metabolic benefits of prolonged hypoxia lasted for weeks to months after mice were returned to normal oxygen levels.

From Science Daily • Feb. 21, 2026

“Emergency room doctors discovered the boy had extremely low blood sugar levels and suffered from hypoxia and constant seizures.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2025

Some researchers say xenon increases production of a protein called erythropoietin that fights hypoxia, a condition that occurs when the body can't get enough oxygen.

From BBC • May 21, 2025

In hindsight, Andy was acting irrationally and had plainly slipped well beyond routine hypoxia, but I was so mentally impeded myself that it simply didn’t register.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer