res·pi·ra·tion (r s p -r  shn)n. 1. a. The act or process of inhaling and exhaling; breathing. Also called ventilation. b. The act or process by which an organism without lungs, such as a fish or plant, exchanges gases with its environment. 2. a. The oxidative process occurring within living cells by which the chemical energy of organic molecules is released in a series of metabolic steps involving the consumption of oxygen and the liberation of carbon dioxide and water. b. Any of various analogous metabolic processes by which certain organisms, such as fungi and anaerobic bacteria, obtain energy from organic molecules. res pi·ration·al adj. |
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