breathing
n. · adj.-
1 respiration (n.) B1 Intermediate Medicinethe act of taking air into your lungs and sending it out again.
the process of inhaling and exhaling air as part of respiration.
ExampleThe doctor told him to take deep breathing exercises to help his lungs.
ExampleThe patient's breathing became more regular once the oxygen mask was properly adjusted by the nursing staff.
-
2 living (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediatehaving life or being alive.
possessing life; currently living or existing.
ExampleEvery breathing creature on the planet needs water to survive.
ExampleThe poet described the forest as a single breathing organism, interconnected by roots and shared resources.
Show 1 more senseShow fewer
-
3 grammar mark (n.) C2 Proficiency Technicala small mark used in some languages, like Ancient Greek, to show how to say a sound.
a diacritical mark used in Greek orthography to indicate the presence or absence of an initial /h/ sound.
ExampleThe student struggled to remember which breathing mark meant the 'h' sound was silent.
ExampleIn classical philology, the presence of a rough breathing mark significantly alters the phonetic realisation of the initial vowel.
UsageUsually distinguished as 'rough breathing' or 'smooth breathing'.
- aspiration
- diacritic
From breathe + -ing.