Respiration is how living things release energy from food. Aerobic respiration, cellular respiration, the rate of respiration.
In biology it is the chemical process in every cell that converts glucose and oxygen into energy, water and carbon dioxide — which is quite different from breathing, though the two are often confused. Anaerobic respiration works without oxygen and produces far less energy. In medicine, respiration also means breathing, and respiration rate is a measured vital sign. Note respiratory, respire.
1nounrespirationThe process by which cells release energy from food.
“During respiration, cells use oxygen to release energy from sugar.”
2nounbreathingBreathing, in medical use.
“Respiration was roughly sixteen a minute.”
respiration is a biological process.
Latin respiratio comes from respirare, to breathe again — re- plus spirare, to breathe. Spirit, inspire and conspire come from the same breathing.
Latin
respiratio
Middle English
respiracioun
English, today
respiration
From Middle English respiracioun, borrowed from Latin respiratio.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Science & Space