What does exsufflation mean?
Exsufflation is a rare, formal noun denoting the act of breathing or blowing out air. Its most notable use is in religious history: in certain Christian rites, particularly older forms of baptism and the ritual of exorcism, the celebrant performed an exsufflation by breathing upon the person — a gesture symbolizing either the expulsion of evil spirits or the bestowal of grace. The word derives from Latin exsufflare, 'to breathe out,' combining ex- ('out') with sufflare ('to blow'), and it is the natural counterpart of insufflation, which describes blowing air into rather than out of something. Today exsufflation appears almost exclusively in scholarly discussions of liturgy, demonology, and older medical writing, where it may describe forced exhalation. Though obscure, it is prized by logophiles for its precision and for the vivid ritual image it preserves.
nounThe act of blowing out or exhaling breath, especially in a ritual or medical context. In ecclesiastical use, it refers to the ceremonial act of breathing upon a person — such as a baptismal candidate or one undergoing exorcism — as a sign of driving out evil or conveying the Holy Spirit.
- The act of blowing out or expelling breath.
- An ecclesiastical ceremony of breathing upon someone, especially in baptism or exorcism, to symbolize the expulsion of evil spirits.
"In the older baptismal rite, the priest performed an exsufflation, breathing three times upon the catechumen to renounce the devil."
"The physician noted a sharp exsufflation as the patient expelled air from her lungs."
"Medieval exorcists employed exsufflation, blowing toward the afflicted person while invoking divine power."
The plural is straightforward but uncommon, typically appearing when describing repeated ritual breathings across multiple rites or candidates.
"Several medieval pontificals prescribe triple exsufflations during the exorcism of the catechumen."
Before modern baptismal liturgies settled on gentler gestures, priests literally breathed on converts — and that outward breath had its own name: exsufflation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exsufflation
Exsufflation comes from Latin exsufflare, 'to blow out or breathe out,' formed from the prefix ex- ('out') and sufflare ('to blow beneath or upon'). It entered English in the early modern period, when scholars and church writers needed precise Latin-derived terms for liturgical gestures described in patristic and medieval sources. The same root gave English insufflate and insufflation, which describe blowing air inward and remain current in medicine, making exsufflation their outward-breathing counterpart.
How exsufflation is actually used
A rare, learned word found chiefly in historical, liturgical, or medical texts. It carries a formal, technical register and would sound archaic in ordinary conversation. Its most familiar context is descriptions of pre-Vatican II baptismal rites and traditional exorcism rituals.
Easily confused with exsufflation
Insufflation is the act of blowing air or a substance INTO something (as in medicine or ritual), whereas exsufflation is the act of blowing or breathing OUT.