ventilator

American  

[ven-tl-ey-ter] / ˈvɛn tlˌeɪ tər /

noun

1. a person or thing that ventilates.

2. a contrivance or opening for replacing foul or stagnant air with fresh air.

3. Medicine/Medical. an apparatus to produce artificial respiration, moving air into and out of a patient’s lungs.

   The patient presented with signs of respiratory failure and was placed immediately on a ventilator.

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ventilator British  

/ ˈvɛntɪˌleɪtə /

noun

1. an opening or device, such as a fan, used to ventilate a room, building, etc

2. med a machine that maintains a flow of air into and out of the lungs of a patient who is unable to breathe normally

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Etymology

Origin of ventilator

First recorded in 1735–45; ventilat(e) + -or ²

Compare meaning

How does ventilator compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ventilator vs. respirator

Example Sentences

Lauren helps with physical tasks like typing and checking the post, and "acts like a translator" in meetings when George needs to wear his ventilator and may not be quite so easy to understand.

From BBC

Li, who suffers from a genetic degenerative condition that progressively weakens muscles, relies on a ventilator permanently connected to his windpipe to breathe, but grows celery with the help of his 62-year-old mother.

From Barron's

The boy suffered cardiac arrest when he was being transferred on the anaesthesiologist's shoulder, disconnected from the ventilator, she told local TVC television channel.

From Barron's

I have to use a ventilator overnight, when my breathing is more shallow than during the day.

From BBC

“However, despite the media attention, it is still in the range that one would expect with a moderate to severe flu season; there is not pressure on hospital beds, ICU beds or ventilators.”

From Salon

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