Where does “transpire” come from?
Transpire comes from Middle French transpirer, from Medieval Latin transpirare, combining Latin spirare (to breathe) and Proto-Indo-European terh₂- and (s)peys-.
transpire (English): To give off (vapour, waste matter etc.); to exhale (an odour etc.)
Definitions
- To give off (vapour, waste matter etc.); to exhale (an odour etc.)
Ancestry of “transpire”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | transpirer | — |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | transpirare | to breathe through |
| 3 | Latin | spīrō | to breathe, draw breath, respire |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)peys- | to blow, breathe; to blow to make noise; to blow;... |