inspire

/ˌɪnsˈpaɪə/in-SPYR

/ˌɪnsˈpaɪɹ/in-SPYR

Meaningto breathe in

Common meaning: to fill with the urge to act

inin, into; (before adjectives) not
spirto breatheLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1743 · scan

‘in, into’ + ‘to breathe’ → inspire

Journey through time

Latinspīrō, spīrāvī‘to breathe’
Old Frenchenspirersource
Middle Englishenspirensource
Englishinspire‘to fill with the urge to act’ · today

in- also in: incest incite induce infamy infant

spir also in: spirit aspire respire conspire leptospirosis

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin spīrō ‘to breathe’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry spīrō, p. 1743 · dictionary scan

Roots

spīrō, spīrāvī Latin “to breathe”

Related words

aspire conspire leptospirosis respire spirit

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