respirator

/ˈrɛspəˌreɪdər/

Other forms: respirators

A respirator is a device you use to help you breathe, either for a medical reason or to filter out dust, gas, or anything else too nasty to inhale.

Whether you're scraping lead paint off a wall or spray painting a car, you'll want to wear a respirator. Military members and police officers sometimes use respirators known as "gas masks" to protect themselves from fumes emitted during wars and riots. Some respirators simply purify the air that moves through them, while others, like those used in hospitals, provide oxygen. The Latin root of respirator is respirare, "breathe in and out."

Definitions of respirator

1. noun

   a breathing device for administering long-term artificial respiration
   synonyms: inhalator

   types:

   iron lung

   respirator that produces alternations in air pressure in a chamber surrounding a patient's chest to force air into and out of the lungs thus providing artificial respiration

   type of:

   breathing apparatus, breathing device, breathing machine, ventilator

   a device that facilitates breathing in cases of respiratory failure
2. noun

   a protective mask with a filter; protects the face and lungs against poisonous gases
   synonyms: gas helmet, gasmask

   type of:

   mask

   a protective covering worn over the face