oximeter

noun

ox·​im·​e·​ter äk-ˈsi-mə-tər 

plural oximeters

: a noninvasive medical device for measuring continuously or intermittently the degree of oxygen saturation of circulating blood or a localized region of tissue

especially : pulse oximeter

oximetric

ˌäk-sə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

oximetric sensors

Examples of oximeter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During the pandemic, a medical charity approached the lab about donating thousands of oximeters to poor countries. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2024

One baby is seen decomposing while lying alone, appearing to still be connected to an oximeter with a green oxygen tank nearby, as insects appear to crawl on its chest. —Yasmine Salam, NBC News, 2 Dec. 2023

The oximeter’s finger probe often picks up better after a few seconds. —Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2015

Why not do the same for the oximeter? —Washington Post, 23 Sep. 2020

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "an instrument for measuring atmospheric or dissolved oxygen," from oxi- (respelling of oxy by assimilation to the linking vowel -i-) + -meter

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing oximeter

• pulse oximeter

Kids Definition

oximeter

noun

ox·​im·​e·​ter

äk-ˈsim-ə-tər

: a medical device for measuring the amount of oxygen in blood circulating in the body

Medical Definition

oximeter

noun

ox·​im·​e·​ter äk-ˈsim-ət-ər 

: a noninvasive medical device for measuring continuously or intermittently the degree of oxygen saturation of circulating blood or a localized region of tissue

especially : pulse oximeter

oximetric

ˌäk-sə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

oximetric sensors