Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

suspire

/səˈspaɪə(ɹ)/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: sus-pire
IPA: /səˈspaɪə(ɹ)/

9

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To breathe, especially to exhale

Archaic; Literary

verb

To sigh.

Literary

noun

A long, deep breath; a sigh.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"Fireflies that suspire / In short, soft lapses of transported flame."
"To him that yesterday did suspire."
"Now the New Year reviving old Desires, The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires, Where the White Hand of Moses on the Bough Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires."

Etymology

Late Middle English, from Latin suspīrāre. Cognate with Old French sospirer (modern soupirer) and Spanish suspirar.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: -, suspīrō

Usage

Inflected Forms

suspires (present, singular) suspiring (participle, present) suspired (participle, past) suspired (past) suspires (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

suspiral suspiration suspirious

Synonyms

breathe take a breath respire sigh

Rhymes With

fire higher entire prior require desire empire wire hire acquire retire buyer

Questions

How do you pronounce suspire?: The recorded pronunciation is /səˈspaɪə(ɹ)/.
What does suspire mean?: To breathe, especially to exhale
Where does suspire come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce suspire

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “suspire”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/səˈspaɪə(ɹ)/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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