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oxygen deficit

oxygen deficit

4.7
A temporary lack of oxygen in the muscles during very hard exercise
  • noun
  • /ˈɑksɪdʒən ˈdɛfɪsɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : déficit de oxígeno
  • Proper training helps the muscles recover faster from oxygen deficit during intense exercise.

Examples

  • During vigorous cycling, your body may temporarily fall into oxygen deficit.

  • During sprinting, an oxygen deficit can occur.

  • After sprinting for several minutes, the athlete experienced oxygen deficit and had to slow down.

  • An oxygen deficit can occur.

  • After sprinting for several minutes, the athlete experienced oxygen deficit and had to slow down.

  • During vigorous cycling, your body may temporarily fall into oxygen deficit.

  • Proper training helps the muscles recover faster from oxygen deficit during intense exercise.

Synonyms

hypoxia
vsoxygen deficit
  • Specialized
9 7.9

Not enough oxygen reaches parts of the body, for example the brain

is specifically a temporary shortage during intense activity rather than a general condition
oxygen debt
vsoxygen deficit
  • Specialized
1 5.7

A short time after hard exercise when the body lacks oxygen and breathing becomes heavy to recover

is a shortage during intense activity until the body catches up

How Severe

oxygen debt
  • Specialized
1 5.7
oxygen deficit
  • Specialized
4.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

oxygen + deficit

The phrase is a straightforward combination of 'oxygen' (the gas needed for respiration) and 'deficit' (a shortfall), so its meaning — a shortage of oxygen — is directly derivable from the constituents. This noun+noun composition is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Oxygen deficit comes from a simple image: during very hard exercise the body uses oxygen faster than it can bring more, creating a 'shortage' — a deficit — in the muscles. So the term means a short time when cells do not have enough oxygen and must wait 'until the body catches up'.