Inhalatory

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Connected to the process of drawing air or vapors into the lungs, it involves approaches that assist in the inhalation of substances for health benefits or treatment
2. Pertaining to the action of breathing in, it encompasses various means and methods for delivering air or medication directly into the respiratory system
3. Having a connection to the act of drawing air or medicinal vapors into the lungs for therapeutic effects

Etymology: "Inhalatory" is built from the Latin verb "inhalare," meaning "to breathe upon" or "to breathe into." That verb combines "in-," meaning "into," with "halare," "to breathe." The English suffix "-ory" turns the verb into an adjective meaning "relating to" or "serving to" the action, so something inhalatory concerns the drawing of air into the lungs. The same Latin root gives "halitus," meaning "breath," which in turn underlies "halitosis," the medical term for bad breath. "Exhale," which means to breathe out, comes from the same verb with the prefix "ex-" ("out"). The three words share one ancient act, with a prefix choosing the direction of the air.

Synonyms: respiratory, breathable