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respiration
respiration definition
res·pi·ra·tion (res′pə rā′s̸hən)
noun
- act or process of respiring; breathing; inhaling and exhaling air
- the processes by which a living organism or cell takes in oxygen from the air or water, distributes and utilizes it in oxidation, and gives off products of oxidation, esp. carbon dioxide
- an analogous process in anaerobic organisms involving some substance other than free oxygen
Etymology: ME respiracioun < L respiratio < respiratus, pp.
Related Forms:
- respirational res′·pi·ra′·tional adjective
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