hypoxic

American

[hahy-pok-sik] / haɪˈpɒk sɪk /

adjective

having or caused by a very low level of oxygen.

The hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico is caused by excess nutrients, mainly nitrogen from fertilizer runoff.
Some brain structures are believed to be particularly vulnerable to hypoxic damage during birth.

Etymology

Origin of hypoxic

First recorded in 1940–45; hypox(ia) ( def. ) + -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She was born with signs of oxygen deprivation, required resuscitation and later scans confirmed a severe hypoxic brain injury.

From BBC

“What’s unique to ski mountaineering is having the skill and fitness to descend while you’re tired, fatigued and hypoxic,” Cookler said.

From Los Angeles Times

"Today parts of the Arabian sea are 'suboxic', supporting only limited marine life due to minimal oxygenation. This same region during the MCO, under similar climatic conditions, was hypoxic -- so comparatively moderate oxygen content, supporting a wider range of organisms," says Dr. Auderset.

From Science Daily

The actor died of “acute on chronic hypoxic respiratory failure,” according to her death certificate obtained by People.

From Los Angeles Times

By the time she was transferred to Croydon University Hospital, she had suffered a hypoxic brain injury.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023