The difference between breath and breathe (grammar lesson)


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Breath (rhymes with death) denotes the air inhaled or exhaled during breathing. To breathe (rhymes with seethe) means to inhale and expel air from the lungs.

Writers occasionally confuse the words 'breath' and 'breathe'.

Breath

The word 'breath' is a noun. It denotes the air that is either inhaled or exhaled during breathing. Colloquially, it can also mean a short pause (e.g., Take a breath and try again.) 'Breath' rhymes with 'death'.

Examples:

Paul pinched his nose, took a breath and jumped off the boat.

He would fight until his last breath.

Breathe

The word 'breathe' is a verb. It rhymes with 'seethe'. It has the following closely related meanings:

To inhale and expel air from the lungs.

Is she breathing?

(Note: Breathe drops the 'e' when 'ing' is added.)

Virtually all fish breathe through gills.

(Gills are a fish's lungs.)

To allow gas or moisture to pass through.

The new synthetic material can breathe to prevent moisture building up against the skin.

To impart (often used figuratively).

He breathed new life into the project.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Select the correct version:

BREEEEATHE

Native English speakers only tend to confuse 'breath' and 'breathe' in writing. Therefore, if you use the 'e' on the end of 'breathe' to remind you that the 'ea' is pronounced 'EE' (i.e., breathe rhymes with seethe), then you will eliminate this error.