WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
-spir-, root.
- -spir- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "breathe;
have a longing for.'' This meaning is found in such words as: aspire, conspire, expire, inspire, perspire, respiration, respiratory, respire, spiracle, spirit, transpire.
'-spir-' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Great Spirit
- Holy Spirit
- Lord Spiritual
- Spirit Cave
- Spirit Lake
- animal spirits
- ardent spirits
- aromatic spirits of ammonia
- aspirin
- ethyl nitrite spirit
- familiar spirit
- free spirit
- high spirits
- high-spirited
- low-spirited
- meanspirited
- methylated spirits
- mineral spirits
- neutral spirits
- objective spirit
- outspirit
- peppermint spirit
- proof spirit
- public-spirited
- pyroligneous alcohol
- quasi-spirited
- quasi-spiritual
- spiral
- spire
- spirillum
- spirit
- spirit compass
- spirit gum
- spirit level
- spirit leveling
- spirit of hartshorn
- spirit of nitrous ether
- spirit rapping
- spirited
- spiritism
- spiritless
- spirits of turpentine
- spirits of wine
- spiritual
- spiritual bouquet
- spiritual death
- spiritualism
- tin spirit
- wood spirit
- world spirit