Dictionary

breathable en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈbɹiːðəbəl/

Etymology

Etymology tree Middle English breethder. Middle English brethen English breathe Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English breathable From breathe + -able.

Meanings

1. (of air) suitable for breathing
   • The Wards are open-topped, with skyscrapers rising from the superstructure. Towers are sealed against vacuum, as the breathable atmosphere envelope is only maintained to a height of about seven meters. The atmosphere is contained by the centrifugal force of rotation and a "membrane" of dense, colorless sulphur hexafluoride gas, held in place by carefully managed mass effect fields. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel Station: Wards Codex entry:
2. (of a fabric, usually) Letting air seep through.
   • breathable paint
   • If you’re looking for the most breathable mask, Lukovics says, “Cotton is preferable, mainly for absorbing moisture/sweat.” She says multiple layers may be more protective but will also impact breathability. 2021 August 17, Elizabeth Wallace and Kai Burkhardt, “12 breathable face masks to protect you while exercising”, in CNN:

Forms

Antonyms

unbreathable

Deriveds

breathability · nonbreathable · breathableness · ultrabreathable

Translations (6)

es respirable (suitable for breathing) · pt respirável (suitable for breathing) · fr respirable (suitable for breathing) · es transpirable (letting air seep) · la spīrābilis (suitable for breathing) · fi hengitettävä (suitable for breathing)