ventilate

[ ven-tl-eyt ]
See synonyms for: ventilateventilated on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),ven·ti·lat·ed, ven·ti·lat·ing.
  1. to provide (a room, mine, etc.) with fresh air in place of air that has been used or contaminated.

  2. Medicine/Medical.

    • to oxygenate (blood) by exposure to air in the lungs or gills.

    • to assist the breathing of (a person), as with a respirator.

  1. (of air or wind) to circulate through or blow on, so as to cool or freshen the air of: Cool breezes ventilated the house.

  2. to expose to the action of air or wind: to ventilate floor timbers.

  3. to submit (a question, problem, etc.) to open, full examination and discussion.

  4. to give utterance or expression to (an opinion, complaint, etc.).

  5. to furnish with a vent or opening, as for the escape of air or gas.

verb (used without object),ven·ti·lat·ed, ven·ti·lat·ing.
  1. to give utterance or expression to one's emotions, opinions, complaints, etc.

Origin of ventilate

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English ventilatten “to blow (something) away,” from Latin ventilātus (past participle of ventilāre “to fan”), equivalent to vent(us) “wind” + -il- verb suffix (variant of -ul-, originally after derivatives of nouns ending in -ulus ) + -ātus suffix forming adjectives; see origin at -ule, -ate1;cf. speculate, wind1

Other words for ventilate

Other words from ventilate

  • ven·ti·la·ble, adjective
  • o·ver·ven·ti·late, verb (used with object), o·ver·ven·ti·lat·ed, o·ver·ven·ti·lat·ing.
  • re·ven·ti·late, verb (used with object), re·ven·ti·lat·ed, re·ven·ti·lat·ing.
  • self-ven·ti·lat·ed, adjective
  • un·der·ven·ti·late, verb (used with object), un·der·ven·ti·lat·ed, un·der·ven·ti·lat·ing.
  • un·der·ven·ti·lat·ed, adjective
  • un·ven·ti·lat·ed, adjective
  • well-ven·ti·lat·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use ventilate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ventilate

ventilate

/ (ˈvɛntɪˌleɪt) /


verb(tr)
  1. to drive foul air out of (an enclosed area)

  2. to provide with a means of airing

  1. to expose (a question, grievance, etc) to public examination or discussion

  2. physiol to oxygenate (the blood) in the capillaries of the lungs

  3. to winnow (grain)

Origin of ventilate

1
C15: from Latin ventilāre to fan, from ventulus diminutive of ventus wind

Derived forms of ventilate

  • ventilable, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012