Requiring or using oxygen, especially to describe types of exercise that increase your breathing and heart rate over time. It can also describe organisms or processes that need oxygen to live.
From Greek *aēr* “air” and *bios* “life,” combined in modern scientific Latin as *aerobicus* “living in air.” It entered English in the 19th century in biology and later in fitness.
‘Aerobic’ exercise is literally “air-life” exercise—activity that depends on your body using lots of oxygen efficiently. When you’re breathing hard but still able to continue, you’re in that aerobic zone your heart and lungs love.
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