Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “transpiration” come from?

Transpiration comes from Middle French transpiration, from Medieval Latin transpiratio, from Latin transpiro, combining trans- (across) and spirare (to breathe), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to breathe and to cross.

transpiration (English): The loss of water by evaporation in terrestrial...

Definitions

  1. The loss of water by evaporation in terrestrial...

Ancestry of “transpiration”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchtranspiration—
2Medieval Latintranspiratio—
3Latintranspiro—
4Latintrāns—
5LatinPadus—
6LeponticBodincus—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰmḗnbottom
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “transpiration”

  • evapotranspiration
  • transpirational
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →