Inhalations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The processes of drawing air or gases into the lungs occur, often for the purposes of breathing or therapeutic interventions related to respiration
2. The acts of taking air or vapor into the lungs for breathing or medical treatment
3. The process of drawing breath or medicinal vapors inward through the nose or mouth

Etymology: "Inhalations" is the plural of "inhalation," which names the act of drawing air or vapor into the lungs. The noun is formed from "inhale" plus the suffix "-ation," a common English ending that turns a verb into a noun for an action or process, as in "creation" or "examination." "Inhale" itself comes from the Latin "inhalare," meaning "to breathe upon" or "to breathe into," built from "in-" ("into") and "halare" ("to breathe"). The "-ation" ending traces back through Latin "-ātiō," passed through Old French "-ation," and entered Middle English as "-aciooun" before settling into the form English uses today.

Synonyms: breathing, inspiration, intake, draw, suction

Antonyms: exhalations, expiration, release