Meanings
plural smooth breathings
- human sciencesThe lack of aspiration on a vowel or semivowel in Ancient Greek.
- communicationsA diacritic (’/◌̓) in Ancient, Medieval and Modern Greek used to indicate this lack of aspiration (or its historical presence), e.g. ἀ, ῤ.
Synonyms: spiritus lenis, psili, psilon pneuma
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA diacritic (’/◌̓) in Ancient, Medieval and Modern Greek used to indicate this lack of aspiration (or its historical presence), e.g. ἀ, ῤ.
Origin
- Ancient Greekψιλὸν πνεῦμα
- Latinspīritus lēnis
- Englishsmooth breathing
Calque of Latin spīritus lēnis, from Ancient Greek ψιλὸν πνεῦμα (psilòn pneûma).
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ψιλὸν πνεῦμα
- ψιλὸν πνεῦμα (psilòn pneûma)diacritic in Greek
Finnish heikko henkäys, spiritus lenis
- heikko henkäysdiacritic in Greek
- spiritus lenisdiacritic in Greek
French esprit doux
- esprit douxdiacritic in Greek
German Spiritus lenis
- Spiritus lenisdiacritic in Greek
Greek ψιλή
- ψιλή (psilí)diacritic in Greek
Italian spirito dolce
- spirito dolcediacritic in Greek
Latin spīritus lēnis
- spīritus lēnisdiacritic in Greek
Polish przydech słaby
- przydech słabydiacritic in Greek
Portuguese espírito brando
- espírito brandodiacritic in Greek
Russian то́нкое придыха́ние, зва́тельце
- то́нкое придыха́ние (tónkoje pridyxánije)diacritic in Greek
- зва́тельце (zvátelʹce)diacritic in Greek
Cite this entry
smooth breathing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smooth%20breathing
“smooth breathing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smooth%20breathing. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “smooth breathing,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smooth%20breathing.
Source: smooth breathing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.