What does perspire mean?
To perspire is to produce sweat, the watery liquid released by sweat glands to help regulate body temperature. The verb is especially associated with heat and physical exertion, but it also describes sweating caused by fear, embarrassment, pain, stress, or illness. In ordinary conversation, people often say “sweat” when they mean “perspire,” although “perspire” is appropriate in formal descriptions, medical contexts, and careful writing. The word can also mean to become damp with sweat, as in a description of someone whose hands are perspiring. Its Latin origin reflects the idea of breathing through or out: Latin perspirare combined a prefix meaning “through” with spirare, “to breathe.” The related English words perspiration and perspired belong to the same word family, while inspire, expire, aspire, and conspire share the broader Latin root.
verbTo produce sweat, especially as a result of heat, exertion, emotion, or illness. In medical contexts, perspiration may refer to the process or the sweat produced.
- To produce sweat, especially because of heat, physical exertion, emotion, or illness.
- To become covered or damp with sweat.
"She began to perspire as the temperature climbed during the hike."
"The runners began to perspire as they reached the final hill."
"He could not help but perspire during the tense interview."
The word “perspire” comes from the same Latin root as “inspire” and “expire”: all begin with a word for breathing or blowing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does perspire come from?
“Perspire” comes from Latin perspirare, formed from per- and spirare, both associated with breathing or blowing. The Latin verb originally carried a sense of breathing through or perspiring, with the meaning focused on the outward passage of moisture. English adopted the word in the 16th century, and its modern sense developed naturally from the idea of moisture passing through the skin. Its relatives inspire, expire, aspire, and conspire descend from the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How perspire is actually used
The verb is common in neutral and formal contexts. “Sweat” is often more familiar in everyday speech, while “perspire” can sound more formal or clinical. It is normally used intransitively, although it can be used transitively in literary or medical expressions such as “perspire blood.”