How to pronounce respiratory
Say it like RES-puh-ruh-tor-ee. Respiratory has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce respiratory. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RES
- puh
- ruh
- tor
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Respiratory pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- puhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- ruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- torGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of respiratory
American and British speakers say respiratory in essentially the same way: /ˈrɛspərəˌtɔri/ in the US and /ˈrɛspərətəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: RES-puh-ruh-tuh-ree.
What does respiratory mean?
- pertaining to respiration“respiratory assistance”
Where does respiratory come from?
Borrowed from New Latin respīrātōrius, equal to respire + -atory.
Questions about saying respiratory
How do you pronounce respiratory?
Say RES-puh-ruh-tor-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈrɛspərəˌtɔri/. In British English it is /ˈrɛspərətəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in respiratory?
Respiratory has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RES). Broken into parts: RES · puh · ruh · tor · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say respiratory the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈrɛspərəˌtɔri/ and the British form is /ˈrɛspərətəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.