spiro Latin · revision 2908

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈspiː.roː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈspiː.ro]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spīrō''' (present infinitive spīrāre, perfect active spīrāvī, supine spīrātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reconstructs [[itc-pro|*spīr/s-]] and suggests it may imitate the sound of breathing; it has no direct cognates, and Balto-Slavic words for squeaking look alike but differ in meaning.^(de Vaan 2008) Kroonen links it with [[gem-pro|*fīsaną|t=to blow; to break wind]], from a root [[ine-pro|*(s)peys-|t=to blow, breathe]],^(Wiktionary) and the OLD likewise starts from *speis-, comparing [[non|fīsa]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(de Vaan 2008) whose lover is “testing whether her lips were breathing”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant to [[m|en|breathe]] and so to be alive, as when Cicero speaks of a man “while he still breathed”.^(OLD 2012) With an object it meant to breathe out, as fire-breathing monsters do in Lucretius, and to give off a smell, as Virgil's strongly smelling savory.^(OLD 2012) Winds were said to breathe, that is, to blow.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Figuratively it meant to breathe or express a spirit, as when Horace says the Roman poet “has a tragic spirit”.^(OLD 2012) The phrase ''dum spiro spero'' means “while I breathe, I hope”.^(Wiktionary) From it came [[spiritus]], the source of English ''spirit'', and its compounds gave ''inspire'' and ''transpire''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for breathing.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of the Chimaera breathing flames.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for being alive.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it for winds and smells.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-13th century – English ''spirit'' comes from its noun ''spiritus''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1590s – English ''transpire'' comes through French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|breathe]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To be alive, live.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To breathe out, [[m|en|exhale]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To give off (a smell, vapour).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of winds)'' To blow.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To breathe, express (a spirit); to be inspired.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[aspīrō]]

+ * [[cōnspīrō]]

+ * [[exspīrō]]

+ * [[īnspīrō]]

+ * [[interspirō]]

+ * [[perspīrō]]

+ * [[prospīrō]]

+ * [[respīrō]]

+ * [[spīrābilis]]

+ * [[spīrāculum]]

+ * [[spīrāmen]]

+ * [[spīrāmentum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spīritālis]]

+ * [[spīritālitās]]

+ * [[spīritāliter]]

+ * [[spiritus]]

+ * [[en|spirit]]

+ * [[en|inspire]]

+ * [[en|transpire]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}