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respiratoire

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Etymology and origin of the French word respiratoire

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Borrowing, Derivation
First attested
1566 Daléchamps More words from the 16th century
Borrowed from
Latin respiratorius
Ultimate origin
Latin respīrō

Forms

respiratoire (plural respiratoires)[1]

Etymology

It is either borrowed from Late Latin respīrātōrius, recorded in the 5th century, or a learned derivative of respirer, according to Rey and the GLLF.[2][3] The TLFi forms it from respīrātum, the supine of respīrō (“to breathe”), with the suffix -oire, comparing the Late Latin adjective;[4] Bloch and Wartburg and the Petit Robert derive it from the French verb.[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1566, in Daléchamps's work on the use of the parts of the human body, meaning “serving for breathing”.[4][3]

Semantic evolution

The word was rare before the 19th century.[2][7][3] Piorry used it in 1833 for what relates to breathing, and in 1845 it qualified an apparatus that lets a person stay where the air cannot be breathed.[4][2][3] In 1904 Larousse recorded quotient respiratoire and its use for the gas exchanges in the lungs and tissues.[2][3]

Timeline

  • 1566 – Daléchamps uses it for what serves for breathing.[4][3]
  • 1833 – Piorry uses it for what relates to breathing.[4][2]
  • 1845 – Bescherelle applies it to a breathing apparatus.[3][2]
  • 1904 – Larousse records quotient respiratoire.[3][2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Serving for respiration: appareil respiratoire, voies respiratoires.[6][4]
  2. Relating to breathing, respiratory: troubles respiratoires, insuffisance respiratoire, quotient respiratoire.[6][4][1]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Respiratoire.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/respiratoire. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·