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respiration

respirations

Respiration is the act of breathing. You wear a ventilator if you need help with your respiration.

Everyone who breathes has the power of respiration. There is, however, another type of respiration which occurs in cells. This is the process of taking in certain substances and putting out others that a cell undergoes to produces energy. One single breath, the inhale and the exhale together, is also called a respiration.

Definitions of respiration
  1. noun
    a single complete act of breathing in and out
    “thirty respirations per minute”
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    type of:
    activity, bodily function, bodily process, body process
    an organic process that takes place in the body
  2. noun
    the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
    synonyms: breathing, external respiration, ventilation
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    types:
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    artificial respiration
    an emergency procedure whereby breathing is maintained artificially
    abdominal breathing
    breathing in which most of the respiratory effort is done by the abdominal muscles
    eupnea, eupnoea
    normal relaxed breathing
    hyperpnea
    energetic (deep and rapid) respiration that occurs normally after exercise or abnormally with fever or various disorders
    hypopnea
    slow or shallow breathing
    hyperventilation
    an increased depth and rate of breathing greater than demanded by the body needs; can cause dizziness and tingling of the fingers and toes and chest pain if continued
    heaving, panting
    breathing heavily (as after exertion)
    Cheyne-Stokes respiration, periodic breathing
    abnormal respiration in which periods of shallow and deep breathing alternate
    smoke, smoking
    the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
    snore, snoring, stertor
    the act of snoring or producing a snoring sound
    sniffle, snivel, snuffle
    the act of breathing heavily through the nose (as when the nose is congested)
    wheeze
    breathing with a husky or whistling sound
    second wind
    the return of relatively easy breathing after initial exhaustion during continuous exertion
    puffing
    blowing tobacco smoke out into the air
    type of:
    activity, bodily function, bodily process, body process
    an organic process that takes place in the body
  3. noun
    the 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
    synonyms: cellular respiration, internal respiration
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    type of:
    metabolic process, metabolism
    the organic processes (in a cell or organism) that are necessary for life
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘respiration'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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