cellular respiration

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The series of metabolic processes by which living cells produce energy through the oxidation of organic substances.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun the metabolic processes whereby certain organisms obtain energy from organic molecules; processes that take place in the cells and tissues during which energy is released and carbon dioxide is produced and absorbed by the blood to be transported to the lungs