inspirational

Etymology

It was formed from English inspiration + -al in English.^[2][3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Influenced by or derived from inspiration, inspired: 1839,^[2][3][4] in J. Rogers's Antipopopriestian.^[2] Dictionary.com dates the word to 1830–40.^[5] Etymonline notes that it was used early in spiritualism.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The sense "of or relating to inspiration" followed in 1888,^[2][3] often of the divine inspiration of Scripture.^[2][6] The now usual sense, "giving inspiration, inspiring", is recorded from 1884 in the OED^[2] and 1878 in Etymonline;^[3] earlier, inspirative (1770) and inspiring (1640s) had been used for it.^[3]

Timeline

• 1839 – inspired, under the influence of inspiration.^[2][3]
• 1878 – tending to inspire (Etymonline).^[3]
• 1884 – tending to inspire (OED).^[2]
• 1888 – of or relating to inspiration.^[2][3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Giving inspiration; encouraging or uplifting: Her coach was an inspirational figure to the whole team.
2. Of or relating to inspiration, especially divine inspiration.
3. Produced by or under the influence of inspiration; inspired.

Word family

• inspirationally

Related words

• inspire
• inspiration
• inspiring
• aspire
• spirit

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
6. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster