vital capacity
noun
: the breathing capacity of the lungs expressed as the number of cubic inches or cubic centimeters of air that can be forcibly exhaled after a full inspiration
Examples of vital capacity in a Sentence
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But as our commitment to pluralism waned, that system broke down and that vital capacity eroded.
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Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2021
The three best divers in the group had an average vital capacity of 7.9 liters, while the three worst averaged just 6.7 liters.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 27 Feb. 2020
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Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2021
The three best divers in the group had an average vital capacity of 7.9 liters, while the three worst averaged just 6.7 liters.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 27 Feb. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Vital capacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vital%20capacity. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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