inspire
/ɪnˈspaɪɹ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.00 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.
Transitive verb
verb
To infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens or exalts; to communicate inspiration to.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "Dawning day new comfort hath inspired."
- "He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul."
- "[…] and whose example of reverence and devotion was so well calculated to inspire confidence and attachment in every class of the community?"
- "Last spring, the periodical cicadas emerged across eastern North America. Their vast numbers and short above-ground life spans inspired awe and irritation in humans—and made for good meals for birds and small mammals."
- "Elders should inspire children with sentiments of virtue."
- "The captain's speech was aimed to inspire her team to victory in the final."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys-der.? Latin spīrō Latin īnspīrōbor. Old French espirer Old French enspirerbor. Middle English enspiren English inspire From Middle English inspiren, enspiren, from Old French inspirer, variant of espirer, from Latin īnspīrāre (“inspire”), itself a loan-translation of Biblical Ancient Greek πνέω (pnéō, “breathe”), from in + spīrō (“breathe”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow, breathe”). Displaced native Old English onbryrdan (literally “to prick in”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪnˈspaɪɹ/
- British English: /ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/