respirator

[ res-puh-rey-ter ]

noun

1. a masklike device, usually of nonwoven fibrous materials, as fiberglass paper, wool felt, or polypropylene, worn over the mouth, or nose and mouth, to prevent the inhalation of noxious substances, pathogens, or the like:

   Respirators are essential protective equipment for healthcare providers during an outbreak.

2. Medicine/Medical. ventilator ( def 3 ).
3. British. gas mask.

respirator

/ ˈrɛspəˌreɪtə /

noun

1. an apparatus for providing long-term artificial respiration
2. Also calledgas mask a device worn over the mouth and nose to prevent inhalation of noxious fumes or to warm cold air before it is breathed

Word History and Origins

Origin of respirator¹

First recorded in 1835–40; from Latin respīrāt(us), past participle of respīrāre “to recover one's breath” + -or agent suffix; respire, -or ²

Example Sentences

She stuffed some clothes and her respirator into her purse, and her roommate loaded her oxygen tank into the car.

From Los Angeles Times

As a multisystemic vascular disease primarily transmitted through the respiratory system, masks — especially N95-style respirator masks, which use clever physics to filter particles as tiny as viruses — effectively prevent most transmission.

From Salon

One Maui resident, asking to be unnamed, told me he’d just finished a six-month job in the burn zone, wearing a Tyvek suit and respirator, waiting for blessings before stepping onto home sites, scraping ash and asbestos, finding class rings, guns, jewels and puddles of melted aluminum.

From Los Angeles Times

The bill also clarifies that cannabis cafe workers have the right to wear respirator masks, paid for by their employers.

From Los Angeles Times

Asked about the December 2020 IP Cell minutes, which suggested PHE was pushing behind-the-scenes for the wider use of respirator masks in healthcare, Prof Hopkins said that was a "really challenging time" in the pandemic with the UK about to enter a third wave of the virus.

From BBC