respirational


res·pi·ra·tion

R0181400 (rĕs′pə-rā′shən)n.1. a. The action or process of inhaling and exhaling; breathing. Also called ventilation.b. An act of inhaling and exhaling; a breath.2. The action or process by which an organism without lungs, such as a fish or plant, exchanges gases with its environment.3. a. The oxidative process occurring within living cells by which the chemical energy of organic molecules is converted in a series of metabolic steps into usable energy in the form of ATP, involving the consumption of oxygen and the production of carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.b. Any of various analogous metabolic processes by which certain organisms, such as anaerobic bacteria and some fungi, obtain energy from organic molecules without consuming oxygen.
res′pi·ra′tion·al adj.