How to pronounce respiration
Say it like res-puh-RAY-shun. Respiration has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce respiration. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- res
- puh
- RAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Respiration pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- resGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- puhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- RAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of respiration
American and British speakers say respiration in essentially the same way: /ˌrɛspəˈreɪʃən/ in the US and /ˌrɛspəˈreɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: res-puh-RAY-shun.
What does respiration mean?
- The process of inhaling and exhaling.
- An act of breathing: a single breath.
- Any similar process in an organism that lacks lungs that exchanges gases with its environment.
Where does respiration come from?
From Middle English respiracioun, borrowed from Latin respīrātiō, respīrātiōnem.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with respiration
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of respiration.
Questions about saying respiration
How do you pronounce respiration?
Say res-puh-RAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌrɛspəˈreɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˌrɛspəˈreɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in respiration?
Respiration has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RAY). Broken into parts: res · puh · RAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say respiration the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌrɛspəˈreɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˌrɛspəˈreɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.