Latin word root · Body & Health

spir-: breathing

spir- is a Latin root meaning “breathing”. Learn its variants and explore 2 connected words.

Meaning and variants

Meaning: breathing

Root forms: spir-, spirat-

Source word: spīrō — to breathe, draw breath, respire

Word family and examples

• inspire

  to fill someone with the urge or ability to do something

• respiratory

  relating to breathing

Root connections help with vocabulary recall. They are not a complete etymological history, and a spelling match alone does not prove a relationship.

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