Showing results for "breathing"

• present participle of breathe.

breathing

American  

[bree-thing] / ˈbri ðɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or other animal that breathes; respiration.

2. a single breath.

3. the short time required for a single breath.

4. a pause, as for breath.

5. utterance or words.

6. a gentle moving or blowing, as of wind.

7. Classical Greek Grammar.

   1. the manner of articulating the beginning of a word written with an initial vowel sign, with or without aspiration before the vowel.

   2. one of the two symbols used to indicate this.

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breathing British  

/ ˈbriːðɪŋ /

noun

1. the passage of air into and out of the lungs to supply the body with oxygen

2. a single breath

   a breathing between words

3. an utterance

   a breathing of hate

4. a soft movement, esp of air

5. a rest or pause

6. phonetics

   1. expulsion of breath ( rough breathing ) or absence of such expulsion ( smooth breathing ) preceding the pronunciation of an initial vowel or rho in ancient Greek

   2. either of two symbols indicating this

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Other Word Forms

• unbreathing
  adjective
• breathingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of breathing

First recorded in 1350–1400, breathing is from the Middle English word brethynge. See breathe, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

breathing

It requires adequate staffing, good managers, training, compensation and enough breathing room for employees to exercise judgment.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

“I still think people are breathing into paper bags,” Rick Wilmer, chief executive of the charging company ChargePoint, said of the industry’s mood amid the downturn.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

The former long-haul truck driver said his health deteriorated so significantly while he was detained that, afterward, he could no longer pass the required physical assessment because of his vision and breathing issues.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

That brings your monthly income to more than $6,000, which gives you more breathing room every month — but it also gives your children more leverage to hit you up for money.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

But if breathing could make people happy, shouldn’t everyone be happy, because everyone breathed?

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• respiratory