transpire

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /trænˈspaɪr/ UK /trænˈspaɪə/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to happen or come to be known; to give off vapor through a surface

It later transpired that the witness had lied about the time.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to happen or come to be... happen occur emerge arise develop exhale evaporate

Word family

Derived forms transpirationtranspirable

Related forms respire perspire inspire aspire expire

Simplified etymology

Transpire entered English in the late Middle English period from a Latin formation based on spirare, “to breathe,” with the literal sense “breathe across.”

Etymology

From French transpirer, from Medieval Latin transpirare ('to breathe through'), from Latin trans- ('through') + spirare ('to breathe'); the sense 'to come to light, become known' arose from the metaphor of vapor escaping.

transpirare Latin trans Latin spirare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# transpire

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /trænˈspaɪr/
**IPA (UK):** /trænˈspaɪə/

## Meanings
1. to happen or come to be known; to give off vapor through a surface

## Examples
- It later transpired that the witness had lied about the time.

## Synonyms
- happen
- occur
- emerge
- arise
- develop
- exhale
- evaporate

## Derived Forms
- transpiration
- transpirable

## Related Forms
- respire
- perspire
- inspire
- aspire
- expire

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: transpirare
- Root: trans
- Root: spirare

## Etymology
From French transpirer, from Medieval Latin transpirare ('to breathe through'), from Latin trans- ('through') + spirare ('to breathe'); the sense 'to come to light, become known' arose from the metaphor of vapor escaping.

## AI Etymology
Transpire is from French transpirer, from Medieval Latin transpirare ('to breathe through'), from Latin trans- ('through') + spirare ('to breathe'); the sense 'to come to light, become known' arose from the metaphor of vapor escaping. Important recorded forms include transpirare (Latin), trans (Latin), and spirare (Latin). Morphologically, the trans- element contributes the sense of across, through, beyond, or change from one state into another. The semantic development is already visible in the history: an older concrete or specialized use was extended into the modern meaning rather than replaced by a separate origin. In current use it covers to happen or come to be known; to give off vapor through a surface. The wider family includes derived forms such as transpiration and transpirable and related words such as respire, perspire, inspire, aspire, and expire.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown