The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word PULMONIC
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "breathing" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case breathing = pulmonic.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PULMONIC mean?
PULMONIC noun- A medicine for treating lung disease.
- A person affected by lung disease.
- Of, pertaining to, or produced by the lungs; pulmonary.
- Produced by pushing air from or into the lungs, as opposed to velaric and glottalic.