Where does “respiratory” come from?

Respiratory comes from English respire plus the suffix -ory, ultimately from Latin respirāre, composed of re- and spirāre meaning to breathe.

respiratory (English): Relating to respiration; breathing

Definitions

  1. Relating to respiration; breathing

Ancestry of “respiratory”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinrespiratoriusrespiratory
2Latinrespīrōto blow or breathe back; to breathe out, exhale
3Latinrĕ-back, backwards
4Latinprōdūcōto lead or bring forth, forward or out
5Latinprō-forward direction, forward movement
6Proto-Italic*pro-pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “respiratory”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →Every word from Proto-Indo-European per- →Every word from Latin rĕ- →