ventilator

noun

ven·​ti·​la·​tor ˈven-tə-ˌlā-tər How to pronounce ventilator (audio)
plural ventilators
: something or someone that ventilates: such as
a
: a device for introducing fresh air or expelling foul or stagnant air
b
: a device for maintaining artificial respiration
especially : a mechanized device that enables the delivery or movement of air and oxygen into the lungs of a patient whose breathing has ceased, is failing, or is inadequate : mechanical ventilator

Note: Modern, computerized mechanical ventilators typically monitor and customize gas delivery, maintain a constant pressure in the lungs to prevent the alveoli from collapsing, and deliver air and oxygen to the lungs by way of an endotracheal tube.

Examples of ventilator in a Sentence

The patient was put on a ventilator.
Recent Examples on the Web Thomas Valley, an associate professor at the UMich Medical School and a practicing ICU doctor, said that, in an ideal scenario, sedation would not be necessary for patients on ventilators due to the risk of death and other adverse side effects. Emi Tuyetnhi Tran, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 The accident left him paralyzed from the shoulders down, in a wheelchair and dependent on a ventilator to breathe. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2024 Remembering Robin Williams' Life in Photos Reeve died in 2004 from cardiac arrest at age 52, nine years after a spinal cord injury from a horseback riding accident left him paralyzed, in a wheelchair and dependent on a ventilator to breathe. Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2024 That didn't stop writers from bringing McDreamy back in flashbacks and dream sequences, though, notably appearing in Meredith's visions while on a ventilator in season 17. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 17 Feb. 2024 Respiratory distress is a serious and sometimes life-threatening complication that can lead babies to be hospitalized in intensive care units, where they’re given extra oxygen or even placed on a ventilator. Liz Szabo, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2024 Video showed part of the facility plunged into darkness, with staff keeping ventilators running using batteries charged by solar power during the day, according to Sky News. NBC News, 14 Jan. 2024 Fearing the island’s only hospital (with just three ventilators) was ill-equipped for the pandemic, the island’s mayor, Pedro Edmunds Paoa, asked LATAM Airlines to cancel all flights into Mataveri International Airport, the world’s most remote commercial airfield. Mark Johanson, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2024 As a result, doctors have given the green light to wean the boy off his ventilator and feeding tubes while introducing solid foods. Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 24 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ventilator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

ventilate + -or entry 1 (perhaps after Latin ventilātor "winnower")

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ventilator was in 1743

Dictionary Entries Near ventilator

Cite this Entry

“Ventilator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ventilator. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ventilator

noun
ven·​ti·​la·​tor ˈvent-ᵊl-ˌāt-ər How to pronounce ventilator (audio)
1
: a device for letting in fresh air or driving out bad or stale air
2

Medical Definition

ventilator

noun
ven·​ti·​la·​tor ˈvent-ᵊl-ˌāt-ər How to pronounce ventilator (audio)
: a device for maintaining artificial respiration
especially : a mechanized device that enables the delivery or movement of air and oxygen into the lungs of a patient whose breathing has ceased, is failing, or is inadequate : mechanical ventilator

Note: Modern, computerized mechanical ventilators typically monitor and customize gas delivery, maintain a constant pressure in the lungs to prevent the alveoli from collapsing, and deliver air and oxygen to the lungs by way of an endotracheal tube.

More from Merriam-Webster on ventilator

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