respiration
/ˌrɛspɪˈreɪʃən/
noun
Origin
Latin
respirare — to breathe again, exhale
Overview
Meaning Now
- The action of breathing; the inhalation and exhalation of air.
- The biochemical process in living organisms involving the production of energy, typically with the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide.
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
respiracion
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term entered the English language during the late medieval period through the influence of Latin-based medical and scientific literature, derived from the classical 'respirare'.
Evolution
- Latin
respirare
“to breathe”
From re- (again) + spirare (to breathe).
- Old French
respiracion
“act of breathing”
- Middle English
respiracion
“the act of breathing”
Introduced via scholarly texts.
- Modern English
respiration
“breathing; cellular metabolic process”
Connections
Word parts
re-
prefix
again
spir
root
breathe
-ation
suffix
state or act of
Related across languages
French
breathing
Spanish
respiración
breathing
Explore next
Related to respiration
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.