ventilator

[ ven-tl-ey-ter ]

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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ventilator¹

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

Example Sentences

Two got so sick they were put on a ventilator to assist with breathing, and one died, researchers report February 1 in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

From Science News

For a month, Steve Collins, a 33-year veteran of the Prince George’s County fire department, had been hooked to a ventilator and fighting for his life against the coronavirus.

From Washington Post

Many covid-19 patients, once on a ventilator, have come through.

From Washington Post

That includes substantially scaling up the strip’s intensive care unit capacity and mobilizing vital supplies such as oxygen and ventilators.

From Time

Last they had heard, Sicknick was in critical condition on a ventilator, according to family members who spoke to ProPublica.

From ProPublica

They want money, not to shut off the ventilator of a particular patient.

From The Daily Beast

“Sometimes you might withdraw a ventilator in cases of very severe and permanent neurological damage,” Joffe said.

From The Daily Beast

He lectured the witness that the location of two ventilator fans was very important “because it will show you are lying.”

From The Daily Beast

He is paralyzed, breathes through a ventilator, and communicates via a sophisticated computer.

From The Daily Beast

Early signs indicate the windpipe is working, Hannah's doctors announced Tuesday, although she is still on a ventilator.

From The Daily Beast

There were no curtains or ventilator-fans, the room was very hot, and the glaring sunshine emphasized its ugliness.

From Project Gutenberg

An opening of several feet in diameter was left at the top of the dome for a skylight, ventilator, and smoke-escape.

From Project Gutenberg

The roof, of thin iron plate, is provided with a ventilator to allow of the escape of hot air.

From Project Gutenberg

The cell was small, bleakly furnished with bunk, toilet and washstand, had a ventilator grille in one wall.

From Project Gutenberg

The windows were all shuttered from top to bottom, each shutter having a little ventilator in it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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