Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

respiratory

/ˈɹɛs.pəɹ.əˌtɔɹ.i/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.81 in modern English

Syllables: res-pi-ra-to-ry
IPA: /ˈɹɛs.pəɹ.əˌtɔɹ.i/

16

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

5

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Relating to respiration or the organs of respiration; breathing.

Example Sentences

"Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents."
"The vaccine would be the first to protect babies from respiratory syncytial virus, or R.S.V., which is the reason many infants are admitted to children’s hospitals each year and kills several hundred under 5 each year."

Etymology

Borrowed from New Latin respīrātōrius, equal to respire + -atory.

Word Breakdown

Suffix: respire

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɹɛs.pəɹ.əˌtɔɹ.i/
British English: /ɹɪˈspɪ.ɹət.ə.ɹi/

Derived Forms

bronchiorespiratory cardiorespiratory chlororespiratory extrarespiratory intrarespiratory nasorespiratory neurorespiratory nonrespiratory oculorespiratory osmorespiratory photorespiratory respiratorily

Phrases

acute respiratory distress syndrome adult respiratory distress syndrome infant respiratory distress syndrome Middle East respiratory syndrome porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome respiratory bronchiole respiratory distress respiratory pigment

Frequently Paired Words

irrespirable respiration respirator respire respirologist respirology pneumonologic pneumologic

Rhymes With

cardiorespiratory nonrespiratory photorespiratory chlororespiratory bronchiorespiratory nasorespiratory osmorespiratory sinorespiratory expiratory inspiratory perspiratory

Questions

How do you pronounce respiratory?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɹɛs.pəɹ.əˌtɔɹ.i/.
What does respiratory mean?: Relating to respiration or the organs of respiration; breathing.
Where does respiratory come from?: Borrowed from New Latin respīrātōrius, equal to respire + -atory.

How to pronounce respiratory

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “respiratory”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɹɛs.pəɹ.əˌtɔɹ.i/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “respiratory”.
Repeat and practice — Say “respiratory” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.