Standard Lemma guide

spiracle

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈspɪɹəkəl/
  • US: /ˈspirək(ə)l/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A pore or opening used (especially by arthropods and some fish) for respiration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The blowhole of a whale, dolphin or other similar species.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any small aperture or vent for air or other fluid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a breathing orifice

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: orifice, opening, porta

Narrower terms: blowhole, stigma

History

Etymology

From Latin spiraculum, from spirare (“to breathe”).

Across languages

Translations

39 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: дихателен отвор (dihatelen otvor) — opening used for breathing
  • Catalan: espiracle — opening used for breathing
  • Esperanto: stigmo — opening used for breathing
  • Finnish: hengitysaukko — opening used for breathing
  • French: spiracle — opening used for breathing
  • German: Atemloch — opening used for breathing
  • German: Spritzloch — opening used for breathing
  • German: Saugloch — opening used for breathing
  • Hungarian: légzőnyilás — opening used for breathing
  • Icelandic: andop — opening used for breathing
  • Icelandic: loftæðaop — opening used for breathing
  • Italian: spiracolo — opening used for breathing
  • Polish: przetchlinka — opening used for breathing
  • Polish: tryskawka — opening used for breathing
  • Portuguese: espiráculo — opening used for breathing
  • Russian: брызгальце (bryzgalʹce) — opening used for breathing
  • Spanish: espiráculo — opening used for breathing
  • Vietnamese: lỗ thở — opening used for breathing
  • Volapük: hogil — opening used for breathing
  • Catalan: espiracle — blowhole
  • Finnish: ilmareikä — blowhole
  • German: Atemloch — blowhole
  • Greek: φυσητήρας (fysitíras) — blowhole
  • Ancient Greek: φυσητήρ (phusētḗr) — blowhole
  • Icelandic: blásturshola — blowhole
  • Icelandic: blástursop — blowhole
  • Māori: tāpihapiha — blowhole
  • Māori: pihapiha — blowhole
  • Māori: piha — blowhole
  • Russian: ды́хало (dýxalo) — blowhole
  • Bulgarian: отдушник (otdušnik) — small aperture or vent
  • Esperanto: kelluko — small aperture or vent
  • Finnish: ilmareikä — small aperture or vent
  • French: soupirail — small aperture or vent
  • German: Kellerfenster — small aperture or vent
  • Greek: φυσητήρας (fysitíras) — small aperture or vent
  • Ancient Greek: φυσητήρ (phusētḗr) — small aperture or vent
  • Italian: spiraglio — small aperture or vent
  • Ottoman Turkish: منفس (menfes) — small aperture or vent