Meanings
plural respirations
- uncountableThe process of inhaling and exhaling.
In the dead state all is apparently without motion. No agent within indicates design, intelligence, or foresight: there is no respiration; […]
1822, John Barclay, chapter I, in An Inquiry Into the Opinions, Ancient and Modern, Concerning Life and Organization, Edinburgh; London: Bell & Bradfute; Waugh & Innes; G. & W. B. Whittaker, section I, page 2Synonyms: breathing, ventilation
- countableuncountableAny similar process in an organism that lacks lungs that exchanges gases with its environment.
- countableuncountableThe process by which cells obtain chemical energy by the consumption of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide.
Near-synonym: metabolism
Synonyms: metabolism
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe process of inhaling and exhaling.
nounThe process by which cells obtain chemical energy by the consumption of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe metabolic processes whereby certain organisms obtain energy from organic molecules; processes that take place in the cells and tissues during which energy is released and carbon dioxide is produced and absorbed by the blood to be transported to the lungs
nounthe bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinrespīrātiō, respīrātiōnem
- Middle Englishrespiracioun
- Englishrespiration
From Middle English respiracioun, borrowed from Latin respīrātiō, respīrātiōnem.
More words from Middle English, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian дишане, дъх
- дишане (dišane)breathing
- дъх (dăh)exchange of gases
Catalan respiració
- respiracióbreathing
Chinese Mandarin 呼吸, 呼吸作用
- 呼吸 (hūxī)breathing
- 呼吸作用 (hūxī zuòyòng)process of biological energy extraction
Czech dýchání, respirace
- dýcháníbreathing
- respiracebreathing
Dutch ademhaling
- ademhalingbreathing
Esperanto spirado
- spiradobreathing
Finnish hengitys, soluhengitys
- hengitysbreathing
- soluhengitysprocess of biological energy extraction
French respiration
- respirationbreathing
German Atmung, Veratmung
- Atmungbreathing
- Veratmungexchange of gases
Greek αναπνοή, αναπνοή
- αναπνοή (anapnoḯ)breathing
- αναπνοή (anapnoḯ)exchange of gases
Hindi श्वसन
- श्वसन (śvasan)breathing
Hungarian légzés, lélegzés
- légzésbreathing
- lélegzésbreathing
- lélegzetvételbreathing
- légzésprocess of biological energy extraction
Indonesian respirasi, pernapasan
- respirasibreathing
- pernapasanbreathing
- respirasiprocess of biological energy extraction
Irish riospráid
- riospráidbreathing
Italian respirazione
- respirazionebreathing
Japanese 呼吸
- 呼吸 (kokyū)breathing
Korean 숨쉬기
- 숨쉬기 (sumswigi)breathing
Latvian elpošana, dvašošana
- elpošanabreathing
- dvašošanabreathing
Māori tukupūngao
- tukupūngaoprocess of biological energy extraction
Norwegian åndedrett
- åndedrettbreathing
Polish oddychanie, oddychanie
- oddychaniebreathing
- oddychanieprocess of biological energy extraction
- oddychanieexchange of gases
Portuguese respiração
- respiraçãobreathing
Russian дыха́ние
- дыха́ние (dyxánije)breathing
Spanish respiración
- respiraciónbreathing
Swedish andning, respiration
- andningbreathing
- respirationbreathing
- cellandningprocess of biological energy extraction
Tagalog paghinga, palahingahan
- paghingabreathing
- palahingahanbreathing
- palahingahanprocess of biological energy extraction
- palahingahanexchange of gases
Turkish solunum, solunum
- solunumbreathing
- solunumprocess of biological energy extraction
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with respiration
Cite this entry
respiration. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respiration
“respiration.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respiration. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “respiration,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respiration.
Source: respiration on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.