respire

UK: /rɪˈspaɪə/ US: /rɪˈspaɪr/ ,(ri spī^ər′)

Inflections of 'respire' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

respires

v 3rd person singular

respiring

v pres p

respired

v past

respired

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•spire /rɪˈspaɪr/   v. [no object] , -spired, -spir•ing. 

1. Physiology to take in and let out air for maintaining life;
   breathe.
2. Biochemistry (of a living system) to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide and other products.

See -spir-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•spire  (ri spī^ər′), v., -spired, -spir•ing. 
v.i. 

1. Physiology to inhale and exhale air for the purpose of maintaining life;
   breathe.
2. to breathe freely again, after anxiety, trouble, etc.

v.t. 

3. Physiology to breathe;
   inhale and exhale.
4. Physiology to exhale.

• Latin respīrāre, equivalent. to re- re- + spīrāre to breathe; see spirit
• late Middle English respiren 1375–1425

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

respire / rɪˈspaɪə/ verb

1. to inhale and exhale (air); breathe
2. (intransitive) to undergo the process of respiration

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin rēspīrāre to exhale, from re- + spīrāre to breathe; see spirit¹