See Also: RESPIRATION, Med(law)
Respiration(medicine)
Respiration(health)
respiration(dictionary)
respiration(encyclopedia)
respiration(dictionary)
laboured respiration(medicine)
stertorous respiration(medicine)
respiration rate(medicine)
respiration disorders(medicine)

respiration (iou)



respiration noun. LME.
[French, or Latin respiratio(n-), from respirat-: see RESPIRATE, -ATION.]
The action of breathing, the inspiration and expiration of air. In early use also, the supposed passage of air, vapours, etc. through the skin. LME.
b. Biology. The process by which an organism absorbs oxygen from air, water, etc. and gives out carbon dioxide. M19.
c. Biochemistry & Biology. The complex biochemical process by which absorbed oxygen is combined with carbon in a cell or organism to form carbon dioxide and generate energy; any metabolic process in which energy is produced, esp. by a transfer of electrons to an external oxidant. M19.
A single act of breathing. LME.
Opportunity for breathing again; a breathing-space; a respite. E17-M18.
Phrases: aerobic respiration Biochemistry & Biology: in which the oxidant is free oxygen. anaerobic respiration Biochemistry & Biology: in which the oxidant is not free oxygen. artificial respiration: see ARTIFICIAL adjective 1. external respiration = sense 1b above. internal respiration = sense 1c above.