transpire

The story

1. Latin · derived fromtrans“across”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromtranspirare“to breathe through”
3. Middle French · borrowed fromtranspirer
4. English todaytranspire

Borrowed from Middle French transpirer, from Medieval Latin transpirare (“to breathe through”), from Latin trans (“across”) spirare (“to breathe”). The sense “to become known” is also present in French, while the sense “to happen” is not; the latter probably developed in English from the former.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. To give off (vapour, waste matter etc.); to exhale (an odour etc.).
• 17th–19th c. To perspire.
• from 17th c. Of plants, to give off water and waste products through the stomata.
• from 18th c. To become known; to escape from secrecy.
• from 18th c. To happen, take place.