spirit

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)peys-der.?
2. Latinspīrō
3. Latinspīritu
4. Old Frenchespirit
5. Middle Englishspirit
6. English todayspirit

From Middle English spirit, from Old French espirit (“spirit”), from Latin spīritus (“breath; spirit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow, breathe”). Compare inspire, respire, transpire, all ultimately from Latin spīrō (“to breathe, blow, respire”). In this sense, displaced native Middle English gast (from Old English gāst), whence modern English ghost. Doublet of spiritus, spirytus, sprite, spright, and esprit.

Words from the same roots