What does breathalyzer mean?
A breathalyzer is a handheld device that measures the concentration of alcohol in a person's breath, providing an estimate of their blood alcohol content. Police forces around the world rely on breathalyzers at roadside checkpoints and after traffic stops to determine whether drivers are over the legal limit, making the device one of the most recognizable instruments of traffic enforcement. The word originated as a brand name — the Breathalyzer, developed by American inventor Robert Borkenstein in the 1950s — and became so widely used that it slipped into the language as a generic term, much like "zipper" or "escalator." In American English it is spelled with a z, while British and Commonwealth usage favors "breathalyser" with an s. Common phrases include blowing into, passing, or failing a breathalyzer, and refusing one often carries automatic legal penalties. Because of its association with drinking and driving, the word carries a distinctly official, cautionary tone.
nounA portable device that measures the alcohol concentration in a person's breath, used especially to test whether drivers are over the legal limit.
- A device that estimates blood alcohol content from a sample of a person's breath, commonly used by police to check for drunk driving.
- By extension, the test or reading produced by such a device (as in "a positive breathalyzer").
"The officer asked him to blow into a breathalyzer after noticing he was swerving between lanes."
"Refusing a breathalyzer at the roadside can lead to an automatic license suspension in many jurisdictions."
"His breathalyzer reading was nearly twice the legal limit."
The plural follows regular English noun inflection; in British spelling it is "breathalysers."
"Modern police cruisers are equipped with breathalyzers for on-the-spot testing."
"Breathalyzer" began as a brand name — the Breathalyzer invented by Robert Borkenstein in 1954 — but became so ubiquitous that it turned into the everyday word for any breath-testing device.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of breathalyzer
The word "breathalyzer" is a twentieth-century American coinage, blending "breath" with "-lyzer," the combining form of "analyzer," which ultimately derives from Greek roots meaning to loosen or break up (via "analysis"). It was originally a proprietary trademark for the Breathalyzer instrument developed by Robert Borkenstein in the United States in the 1950s, but its widespread adoption led to genericide — the process by which a brand name becomes a common noun. Related words sharing the analytical root include "analyze," "analysis," and "catalyze."
How breathalyzer is actually used
Originally a trademark of Smith & Wesson, the term has become genericized and is typically written lowercase, though some style guides still capitalize it when referring strictly to the branded device. The spelling "breathalyser" predominates in British, Australian, and other Commonwealth English. The word carries legal and administrative connotations, so it appears most often in news reports about driving offenses rather than casual conversation.
Easily confused with breathalyzer
"Breathalyser" is simply the British English spelling of the same word, while "breathalyzer" with a z is the standard American spelling.