respiratory
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of respiratory
1780–90; < Late Latin respīrātōrius, equivalent to Latin respīrā ( re ) to respire + -tōrius -tory 1
Explanation
The word respiratory is an adjective describing anything related to respiration: how we breathe. In addition to the nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems, the body has a respiratory system: this is how we get and use oxygen, which we need to survive. The respiratory system also expels carbon dioxide, which we don’t use. The main respiratory organs are the lungs. Asthma and bronchitis are respiratory diseases, because they make breathing difficult. When you see the word respiratory, just take a deep breath and you’ll remember the meaning.
Vocabulary lists containing respiratory
Freak the Mighty
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Life Science: Human Systems
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week In Words: February 22–28, 2020
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Despite macroeconomic challenges and a softer first quarter respiratory season, QuidelOrtho is taking decisive cost actions to drive full-year 2026 performance,” CEO Brian J. Blaser said in the press release.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
Profit fell in the recent period, as sales of certain diagnostic tests were stymied by the mild respiratory season.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
The team also used indirect calorimetry with respiratory gas analysis to better understand energy use.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
When lung growth is hindered in adolescence, “that can lead to increased risk for respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases later in life,” said Fangqi Guo, the study’s lead author.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
As a child, Roosevelt suffered from acute asthma, a respiratory disease that caused his airways to constrict, making it difficult for him to breathe.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
