hypercapnia

noun

hy·​per·​cap·​nia ˌhī-pər-ˈkap-nē-ə How to pronounce hypercapnia (audio)
: the presence of excessive amounts of carbon dioxide in the blood
hypercapnic
ˌhī-pər-ˈkap-nik How to pronounce hypercapnia (audio)
adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from hyper- + Greek kapnos smoke; probably akin to Lithuanian kvapas breath

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypercapnia was in 1908

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Cite this Entry

“Hypercapnia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypercapnia. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

hypercapnia

noun
hy·​per·​cap·​nia -ˈkap-nē-ə How to pronounce hypercapnia (audio)
: the presence of an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood
hypercapnic
-nik How to pronounce hypercapnia (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hypercapnia

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hypercapnia

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