What does insufflator mean?
An insufflator is a device that introduces a gas, vapor, or powder into an enclosed space. Its most familiar use is in medicine, where an insufflator delivers anesthetic gases or other medical vapor into a patient’s airway, allowing the substance to be breathed and absorbed during procedures. The term can also describe an apparatus that blows air or another material into a cavity. The word comes from Latin roots meaning “to blow into” and is related to words such as inflate, deflate, and flatus. In everyday conversation, “blower” or “aerator” may be more natural, but insufflator is the more precise term for equipment that supplies gas or vapor under controlled conditions.
nounAn insufflator is a device that introduces a gas, vapor, or powder into a space, especially one used to deliver anesthetic gases or medical vapor into a patient’s airway. More generally, the term can refer to a device or apparatus used to blow air or another substance into a cavity.
- A device used to deliver anesthetic gas or medical vapor into a patient’s airway.
- A device or apparatus that blows air, gas, or another substance into a cavity or enclosed space.
"The anesthesiologist checked the insufflator before the operation began."
"The nurse connected the oxygen insufflator to the patient’s breathing circuit."
"A portable insufflator was used to introduce vapor into the chamber during the experiment."
The plural is used when referring to more than one device.
"The hospital had several insufflators available for emergency use."
An insufflator turns the word “blow” into a piece of medical equipment: it sends gas or vapor into a cavity so that it can be breathed or absorbed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does insufflator come from?
Insufflator comes from Latin insufflare, meaning “to blow into,” formed with in- meaning “into” and sufflare, “to blow.” English adopted the term in medical and scientific contexts for apparatus that blows gases, vapors, or powders into a space. It shares a root with inflate, deflate, flatus, and afflatus, all connected with blowing or the action of air.
Related word forms
How insufflator is actually used
The word is primarily technical. In medicine, it usually refers to equipment that delivers anesthetic or oxygen-bearing gas, and in other fields it is used more broadly for a blowing or vaporizing device.
Easily confused with insufflator
An insufflator delivers gas or vapor into a body cavity, particularly during anesthesia, whereas a nebulizer typically converts a liquid medication into an inhaled mist.