hypoglycemia

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

IPA: /ˌhaɪpoʊɡlaɪˈsiːmiə/

KK: /haɪpoʊɡlaɪˈsiːmiə/

noun

Definition

A condition where there is an unusually low amount of sugar in the blood, which can cause symptoms like dizziness, confusion, and weakness.

Example

After skipping breakfast, she experienced hypoglycemia and felt faint.

Conversation

I felt really weak after my workout yesterday.

That sounds rough! Did you eat enough before it?

Yeah, but I think I might have had hypoglycemia or something.

That could explain it. You should definitely keep an eye on your blood sugar.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

lowbloodsugar

insulinoma

diabetes

Antonyms

hyperglycemia

glucose

sugar

Root Explanation

Hypoglycemia → It is formed from "hypo-" (meaning under or below) and "glycēmia" (from Greek "glykys", meaning sweet, and "haima", meaning blood). The word describes a condition of having low levels of sugar in the blood.

Memory Tip

Think of 'hypo-' meaning 'under' and 'glycemia' relating to 'sugar in the blood' — so hypoglycemia means having less sugar in the blood.

Visually Confused Words