Meaning & use
respiration
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Meanings
noununcountablebiology
The process in living cells by which oxygen is used to break down food and release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: 'Respiration releases energy.'
Patterns
- cellular respiration
- aerobic respiration
- anaerobic respiration
Cellular respiration takes place mainly in the mitochondria.
During heavy exercise, anaerobic respiration can produce lactic acid in muscles.
Plants carry out respiration day and night, not only photosynthesis.
noununcountablemedicalformal
The physical act of breathing air into and out of the lungs.
Grammar: Often used in medical or formal contexts; everyday speech usually prefers 'breathing'.
Patterns
- respiration rate
- artificial respiration
- slow respiration
The doctor checked the patient's respiration and pulse.
Rescue workers gave the victim artificial respiration until the ambulance arrived.
Deep respiration can help you relax before a test.
Common combinations
- cellular respiration
- Cellular respiration is the main way cells get energy from glucose.
- aerobic respiration
- Aerobic respiration needs oxygen and releases a lot of energy.
- anaerobic respiration
- Anaerobic respiration happens when oxygen is in short supply.
- artificial respiration
- The lifeguard used artificial respiration to revive the swimmer.
- respiration rate
- A high respiration rate can be a sign of infection.
Synonyms and how they differ
- breathing
- This is the everyday word for the physical act; 'respiration' is more formal and also covers the cellular process.
- ventilation
- A technical term for the movement of air in and out of the lungs, used mainly in medicine and physiology.
Word family
- respire verb
- To breathe or carry out respiration.
- respirator noun
- A device that helps a person breathe or protects the lungs.
- respiratory adjective
- Relating to breathing or the organs used for breathing.
Commonly confused: respiration or perspiration?
respiration vs perspiration
Perspiration means sweating, not breathing. The words sound similar but describe different body processes.
Practice
In biology, which sentence uses 'respiration' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Cellular respiration is the biological process of releasing energy from food. Option 1 is about breathing, which is a different sense, and option 3 confuses respiration with perspiration (sweat). Option 4 is awkward because a respirator is a device, not a process.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “respiration”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.