artificial respiration: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical, Medical
Quick answer
What does “artificial respiration” mean?
A medical procedure in which air is forced into and out of the lungs of someone who has stopped breathing, typically using manual methods or a machine.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A medical procedure in which air is forced into and out of the lungs of someone who has stopped breathing, typically using manual methods or a machine.
The act of helping someone to continue breathing by these means, often as an emergency lifesaving measure. More broadly, can metaphorically refer to efforts to revive a failing institution or project.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. 'Mouth-to-mouth' is a common synonym in both, but is more specific. Terminology in first-aid training may slightly differ in phrasing (e.g., 'rescue breaths' in modern UK protocols).
Connotations
Neutral medical/technical term in both. Carries strong associations with emergency situations and life-saving intervention.
Frequency
Equally used in medical contexts. In everyday conversation, 'mouth-to-mouth resuscitation' or simply 'CPR' is more common in both varieties when referring to the emergency procedure.
Grammar
How to Use “artificial respiration” in a Sentence
to perform artificial respiration on [SOMEONE]to require artificial respirationthe use of artificial respirationa method/technique of artificial respirationVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “artificial respiration” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The lifeguard was trained to perform artificial respiration.
- They had to artifically respirate the casualty until the ambulance arrived. (Note: this verb form 'artificially respire' is very rare and technical).
American English
- Paramedics administered artificial respiration at the scene.
- First responders began artificial respiration immediately.
adjective
British English
- The artificial respiration procedure saved his life. (noun used attributively)
- They demonstrated an artificial respiration technique.
American English
- She needed artificial respiration support for several minutes. (noun used attributively)
- The course covered artificial respiration protocols.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Potential metaphorical use: 'The government bailout provided artificial respiration to the failing bank.'
Academic
Common in medical, nursing, paramedic, and physiology texts and research to describe historical or specific manual ventilation techniques.
Everyday
Used in discussions of first aid, emergencies, and historical medical cases. Often replaced by 'mouth-to-mouth' or 'CPR' in casual talk.
Technical
The standard, precise term in medical documentation, emergency medicine protocols, and medical training for non-mechanical ventilation support.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “artificial respiration”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “artificial respiration”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “artificial respiration”
- Incorrect: 'He gave her an artificial respiration.' (Uncountable, no article). Correct: 'He gave her artificial respiration.'
- Confusing 'artificial respiration' (focus on breathing) with 'CPR' (includes chest compressions).
- Using it as a verb: 'He artificial-respirated her.' (Incorrect). Correct: 'He performed artificial respiration on her.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are related but distinct. Artificial respiration specifically refers to providing breaths to a non-breathing person. CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is a broader procedure that includes chest compressions (to circulate blood) AND rescue breaths (artificial respiration). Modern CPR guidelines often emphasize compressions over breaths for untrained rescuers.
Yes. While the term often brings to mind mouth-to-mouth methods, mechanical devices like bag-valve masks or automatic ventilators in hospitals are also means of providing artificial respiration. In a strict hospital setting, 'mechanical ventilation' is a more precise term for machine-driven support.
In formal medical and first-aid contexts, yes. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say 'mouth-to-mouth' or 'rescue breathing' for the manual technique, and 'on a ventilator' for the machine-assisted version. 'Artificial respiration' sounds slightly more formal or historical.
Historical methods, now obsolete and potentially harmful, included techniques like the Schaefer Prone Pressure Method or the Holger Nielsen method, which involved pressing on the patient's back. These were replaced by mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, which is more effective.
A medical procedure in which air is forced into and out of the lungs of someone who has stopped breathing, typically using manual methods or a machine.
Artificial respiration is usually formal, technical, medical in register.
Artificial respiration: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɑː.tɪˌfɪʃ.əl ˌres.pɪˈreɪ.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɑːr.t̬əˌfɪʃ.əl ˌres.pəˈreɪ.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a doctor using ART (ARTificial) to help someone RESPIRATORY system work when it fails: ART + RESPIRATION = ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS BREATH. Reviving something is giving it breath. A failing entity is 'not breathing' and needs 'artificial respiration' to survive.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of artificial respiration?