Meanings
plural suspirations
- The act of breathing, not necessarily for a sustained period (compare respiration, which is sustained).
nor windy suspiration of forced breath
c. 1599-1602, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, act 1, scene 2; republished as Hamlet, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1992, →ISBN, page 91 more example
and the assistance of the inward Intercostal Muscles in deep Suspirations, when we take more large gulps of Aire to cool our heart overcharged with Love or Sorrow […]
1662, Henry More, An Antidote Against Atheism, Book II, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 80
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinsuspīrātiō, suspīrātiōnem“sighing”
- Englishsuspiration
Learned borrowing from Latin suspīrātiō, suspīrātiōnem (“sighing”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
suspiration. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suspiration
“suspiration.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suspiration. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “suspiration,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suspiration.
Source: suspiration on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.