Breathing — meaning, pronunciation & more

Definition

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

Pronunciation

🇺🇸American English

/kˈæluː/

🇬🇧British English

/bɹˈiːðɪŋ/

🇮🇳Indian English

/bɹˈiːðɪŋ/

2 syllables Say it as /kˈæluː/.

Examples

I can breathe better when the air is clean
The patient is respiring
Every creature that breathes

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

pass off breathe emit ventilation external respiration eupneic take a breath respiration respire catch one's breath eupnoeic suspire take a breather rest

Antonyms

breathless

Parts of Speech

noun	the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
verb	draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs “I can breathe better when the air is clean”
verb	be alive “Every creature that breathes”
verb	impart as if by breathing “He breathed new life into the old house”
verb	allow the passage of air through “Our new synthetic fabric breathes and is perfect for summer wear”
verb	utter or tell “not breathe a word”
verb	manifest or evince “She breathes the Christian spirit”
verb	take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
verb	reach full flavor by absorbing air and being let to stand after having been uncorked “This rare Bordeaux must be allowed to breathe for at least 2 hours”
verb	expel (gases or odors)
adjective	passing or able to pass air in and out of the lungs normally; sometimes used in combination “the boy was disappointed to find only skeletons instead of living breathing dinosaurs”

Word Forms

breathe	verb	take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
respire	verb	undergo the biomedical and metabolic processes of respiration by taking up oxygen and producing carbon monoxide
breather	noun	air passage provided by a retractable device containing intake and exhaust pipes; permits a submarine to stay submerged for extended periods of time
breathing	noun	the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
respiratory	adjective	pertaining to respiration
respiration	noun	the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
respirator	noun	a breathing device for administering long-term artificial respiration
rest	noun	a pause for relaxation
rester	noun	a person who rests
emission	noun	the act of emitting; causing to flow forth

Around the World

Europe

🇩🇪German

Atmung

der körperliche Prozess des Ein- und Ausatmens; der Prozess der Aufnahme von Sauerstoff aus der eingeatmeten Luft und der Freisetzung von Kohlendioxid beim Ausatmen

🇫🇷French

respiration

le processus corporel d’inspiration et d’expiration ; le processus d'absorption de l'oxygène de l'air inhalé et de libération du dioxyde de carbone par l'expiration

🇪🇸Spanish

respiración

el proceso corporal de inhalación y exhalación; el proceso de tomar oxígeno del aire inhalado y liberar dióxido de carbono mediante la exhalación

🇮🇹Italian

respirazione

il processo corporeo di inspirazione ed espirazione; il processo di assunzione di ossigeno dall'aria inalata e di rilascio di anidride carbonica mediante espirazione

🇳🇱Dutch

ademhaling

het lichamelijke proces van inademen en uitademen; het proces waarbij zuurstof uit de ingeademde lucht wordt opgenomen en koolstofdioxide vrijkomt door uitademing

🇵🇹Portuguese

respirando

o processo corporal de inspiração e expiração; o processo de absorver oxigênio do ar inspirado e liberar dióxido de carbono pela expiração

🇷🇺Russian

дыхание

телесный процесс вдоха и выдоха; процесс поглощения кислорода из вдыхаемого воздуха и выделения углекислого газа при выдохе

India

🇮🇳Hindi

साँस लेने

साँस लेने और छोड़ने की शारीरिक प्रक्रिया; साँस द्वारा ली गई हवा से ऑक्सीजन लेने और साँस छोड़ने से कार्बन डाइऑक्साइड छोड़ने की प्रक्रिया

🇧🇩Bengali

শ্বাস

ইনহেলেশন এবং শ্বাস ছাড়ার শারীরিক প্রক্রিয়া; শ্বাস নেওয়া বাতাস থেকে অক্সিজেন গ্রহণ এবং শ্বাস ছাড়ার মাধ্যমে কার্বন ডাই অক্সাইড মুক্ত করার প্রক্রিয়া

🇮🇳Tamil

சுவாசம்

உள்ளிழுக்கும் மற்றும் வெளியேற்றத்தின் உடல் செயல்முறை; உள்ளிழுக்கும் காற்றில் இருந்து ஆக்சிஜனை எடுத்து வெளியேற்றுவதன் மூலம் கார்பன் டை ஆக்சைடை வெளியிடும் செயல்முறை

🇮🇳Telugu

శ్వాస

ఉచ్ఛ్వాసము మరియు ఉచ్ఛ్వాసము యొక్క శారీరక ప్రక్రియ; పీల్చే గాలి నుండి ఆక్సిజన్ తీసుకోవడం మరియు ఉచ్ఛ్వాసము ద్వారా కార్బన్ డయాక్సైడ్ విడుదల చేసే ప్రక్రియ

🇮🇳Marathi

श्वास घेणे

इनहेलेशन आणि उच्छवासाची शारीरिक प्रक्रिया; इनहेल्ड हवेतून ऑक्सिजन घेण्याची आणि श्वासोच्छवासाद्वारे कार्बन डायऑक्साइड सोडण्याची प्रक्रिया

🇮🇳Gujarati

શ્વાસ

ઇન્હેલેશન અને શ્વાસ બહાર કાઢવાની શારીરિક પ્રક્રિયા; શ્વાસમાં લેવાયેલી હવામાંથી ઓક્સિજન લેવાની અને શ્વાસ બહાર કાઢીને કાર્બન ડાયોક્સાઇડ છોડવાની પ્રક્રિયા

🇮🇳Kannada

ಉಸಿರಾಟ

ಇನ್ಹಲೇಷನ್ ಮತ್ತು ಹೊರಹಾಕುವಿಕೆಯ ದೈಹಿಕ ಪ್ರಕ್ರಿಯೆ; ಉಸಿರಾಡುವ ಗಾಳಿಯಿಂದ ಆಮ್ಲಜನಕವನ್ನು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಮತ್ತು ಹೊರಹಾಕುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಇಂಗಾಲದ ಡೈಆಕ್ಸೈಡ್ ಅನ್ನು ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಪ್ರಕ್ರಿಯೆ

🇮🇳Malayalam

ശ്വസനം

ശ്വസനത്തിൻ്റെയും ശ്വാസോച്ഛ്വാസത്തിൻ്റെയും ശാരീരിക പ്രക്രിയ; ശ്വസിക്കുന്ന വായുവിൽ നിന്ന് ഓക്സിജൻ എടുക്കുകയും ശ്വാസോച്ഛ്വാസം വഴി കാർബൺ ഡൈ ഓക്സൈഡ് പുറത്തുവിടുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന പ്രക്രിയ

🇮🇳Punjabi

ਸਾਹ ਲੈਣਾ

ਸਾਹ ਲੈਣ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਹ ਛੱਡਣ ਦੀ ਸਰੀਰਕ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ; ਸਾਹ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਅੰਦਰ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਹਵਾ ਤੋਂ ਆਕਸੀਜਨ ਲੈਣ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਹ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਕਾਰਬਨ ਡਾਈਆਕਸਾਈਡ ਛੱਡਣ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ

🇵🇰Urdu

سانس لینا

سانس اور سانس چھوڑنے کا جسمانی عمل؛ سانس کے ذریعے ہوا سے آکسیجن لینے اور کاربن ڈائی آکسائیڈ کو خارج کرنے کا عمل

East & Southeast Asia

🇨🇳Chinese

呼吸

吸气和呼气的身体过程；从吸入的空气中吸收氧气并通过呼气释放二氧化碳的过程

🇯🇵Japanese

呼吸

吸入と呼気の身体プロセス。吸入した空気から酸素を取り込み、呼気によって二酸化炭素を放出するプロセス

🇰🇷Korean

호흡

흡입과 호기의 신체 과정; 흡입된 공기로부터 산소를 흡수하고 날숨에 의해 이산화탄소를 방출하는 과정

🇻🇳Vietnamese

thở

quá trình hít vào và thở ra của cơ thể; quá trình lấy oxy từ không khí hít vào và thải ra carbon dioxide bằng cách thở ra

🇹🇭Thai

การหายใจ

กระบวนการทางร่างกายของการหายใจเข้าและออก กระบวนการรับออกซิเจนจากอากาศที่หายใจเข้าและปล่อยก๊าซคาร์บอนไดออกไซด์โดยการหายใจออก

🇮🇩Indonesian

pernafasan

proses tubuh menghirup dan menghembuskan napas; proses mengambil oksigen dari udara yang dihirup dan melepaskan karbon dioksida melalui pernafasan

🇵🇭Filipino

paghinga

ang proseso ng katawan ng paglanghap at pagbuga; ang proseso ng pagkuha ng oxygen mula sa inhaled air at pagpapakawala ng carbon dioxide sa pamamagitan ng pagbuga

🇲🇾Malay

bernafas

proses penyedutan dan hembusan badan; proses mengambil oksigen daripada udara yang disedut dan membebaskan karbon dioksida melalui hembusan

Middle East

🇸🇦Arabic

التنفس

العملية الجسدية للاستنشاق والزفير. عملية أخذ الأكسجين من الهواء المستنشق وإطلاق ثاني أكسيد الكربون عن طريق الزفير

🇮🇷Persian

نفس کشیدن

فرآیند دم و بازدم بدن؛ فرآیند دریافت اکسیژن از هوای استنشاقی و آزادسازی دی اکسید کربن با بازدم

🇹🇷Turkish

nefes almak

bedensel nefes alma ve verme süreci; solunan havadan oksijen alma ve nefes verme yoluyla karbondioksiti serbest bırakma işlemi

🇮🇱Hebrew

נְשִׁימָה

התהליך הגופני של שאיפה ונשיפה; תהליך לקיחת חמצן מהאוויר הנשאף ושחרור פחמן דו חמצני בנשיפה

Test Yourself1 / 3

What is the primary definition of the word 'breathing'?

The primary meaning of 'breathing' is 'the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation'.

Which of the following sentences uses the word 'breathing' in a grammatically correct way?

Using 'breathing' in a noun/adjective form makes the first sentence correct.

In which domain is the word 'breathing' most likely to appear as standard vocabulary?

'breathing' is a standard word used primarily in general literature and formal communications.

Community Poll1 / 6

How often do you encounter the word 'breathing' in your daily reading?

Very Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Do you find 'breathing' easy to spell?

Yes, very easy

Somewhat easy

A bit confusing

Extremely hard

In your opinion, does the word 'breathing' have a positive, neutral, or gloomy tone?

Positive

Neutral

Gloomy

Vibrant

Which age group is most likely to use 'breathing' in regular conversations?

Kids (3-12)

Teens (13-19)

Adults (20-60)

Seniors (60+)

How likely are you to use 'breathing' in a professional email?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not very likely

Never

Would you classify 'breathing' as formal, casual, or slang?

Formal

Casual

Slang

Archaic

Pick an option to see how others voted