breather

American  

[bree-ther] / ˈbri ðər /

noun

1. a pause, as for breath.

   Synonyms:

   intermission, recess, timeout, break, rest

2. vigorous exercise that causes heavy breathing.

3. a person who breathes.

4. a vent in a container or covering, as in a casing for machinery or in a storage tank, to equalize interior and exterior pressure, permit entry of air, escape of fumes, or the like.

5. a device for providing air from the atmosphere to submerged or otherwise sealed-off persons, internal-combustion engines, etc..

   the snorkel breather of a submarine.

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breather British  

/ ˈbriːðə /

noun

1. informal a short pause for rest

2. a person who breathes in a specified way

   a deep breather

3. a vent in a container to equalize internal and external pressure, such as the pipe in the crankcase of an internal-combustion engine

4. a small opening in a room, container, cover, etc, supplying air for ventilation

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Etymology

Origin of breather

First recorded in 1350–1400, breather is from the Middle English word brethere. See breathe, -er ¹

Example Sentences

The powerful stock-market rally took a breather on Wednesday after a solid stretch of gains.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026

A proud moment for those associated with the club, but it did deprive key players of the mid-season breather they normally would have had.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

A relatively quiet week lies ahead in China, as investors take a breather following a series of major diplomatic summits in Beijing and the release of key economic-activity data earlier this month.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Colbert has been coy about his next steps but announced he will be a writer on a forthcoming "Lord of the Rings" movie -- as well as lying down and taking a breather.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

At Los Alamos, however, Norris Bradbury relished getting a breather from the relentless demand for more designs and more tests.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• lull
• respite