respiration: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Academic/Medical
Quick answer
What does “respiration” mean?
The physical process of breathing, involving the inhaling of oxygen and exhaling of carbon dioxide.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The physical process of breathing, involving the inhaling of oxygen and exhaling of carbon dioxide.
The biochemical process in cells that releases energy from organic compounds (like glucose), typically using oxygen; can also refer to the act of breathing in a biological or physiological context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Neutral and scientific in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally technical and low-frequency in everyday speech in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “respiration” in a Sentence
Respiration (of something) - (e.g., cellular respiration of glucose)Respiration (by/in something) - (e.g., respiration in the mitochondria)Respiration (rate/process/cycle)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “respiration” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The patient is respiring normally now.
- Mammals respire using lungs.
American English
- The patient is respiring normally now.
- The cells respire aerobically.
adverb
British English
- The patient was breathing respiratorily with assistance.
- Not standard usage.
American English
- Not standard usage.
- Not standard usage.
adjective
British English
- The respiratory system was examined.
- He had respiratory difficulties.
American English
- She was placed on a respirator.
- A respiratory infection spread quickly.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in healthcare or biotechnology contexts.
Academic
Common in biology, physiology, medicine, and biochemistry courses.
Everyday
Uncommon. 'Breathing' is used instead, unless discussing a medical condition.
Technical
Standard and precise term in medical, biological, and physiological contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “respiration”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “respiration”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “respiration”
- Confusing 'respiration' (the process) with 'respirator' (a device).
- Using 'respiration' casually for 'a breath' (e.g., 'He took a deep respiration' is wrong; use 'breath').
- Mixing up 'cellular respiration' with simply 'breathing'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Breathing' is the everyday term for the physical movement of air in and out of the lungs. 'Respiration' is the technical/biological term that can refer to this process OR to the complex cellular process of energy production (cellular respiration).
No. In everyday conversation, people use 'breathing'. 'Respiration' is used in medical, scientific, and academic contexts.
The related verb is 'respire', but it is very technical and rarely used in general English. 'Breathe' is the common verb.
It's an emergency procedure, often called CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, where someone helps another person breathe by forcing air into their lungs.
The physical process of breathing, involving the inhaling of oxygen and exhaling of carbon dioxide.
Respiration is usually technical/academic/medical in register.
Respiration: in British English it is pronounced /ˌrɛspɪˈreɪʃ(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrɛspəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not applicable for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'RESPIRation' – the first part 'RESPIRE' means to breathe. It's the '-ATION' (process) of breathing.
Conceptual Metaphor
BREATHING IS THE RHYTHM OF LIFE; THE BODY IS A MACHINE PROCESSING AIR.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for 'respiration' in its most common sense?