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.

---

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

---

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

“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

Emily Walls, 18, developed septicaemia and was on a ventilator after getting chickenpox more than 15 years ago.

From BBC

Although the fungus can exist on the skin without causing symptoms, patients who depend on ventilators face a much greater risk.

From Science Daily

They may require oxygen or intravenous fluid or even be put on a ventilator to help them breathe, according to the CDC.

From Los Angeles Times

The Colombian survivor arrived in his homeland "with a traumatic brain injury, sedated, medicated, and breathing with the help of a ventilator", according to Colombia's interior minister.

From BBC

Related Words

• fireplace
• flue
• furnace
• hearth
• pipe
• stack
• vent