WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
aer•o•em•bo•lism
(âr′ō em′bə liz′əm),USA pronunciation n. [Pathol.]
- Pathologyan obstruction of the circulatory system caused by air, as may arise during surgery.
- PathologyAlso called the bends, caisson disease, decompression sickness. an acute condition caused by a rapid substantial decrease in atmospheric pressure, as in high-altitude flying and coming up from deep-sea diving, characterized by the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the blood, severe pain in the lungs and joints, and neurological impairment.
- aero- + embolism 1935–40
'aeroembolism' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):