English
Spiritist
Spiritist comes from Middle English spirit ‘life, vital breath’, from Old French espirit ‘spirit’, and ultimately from Latin spīrō ‘to breathe, draw breath, respire’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspīrō‘to breathe, draw breath, respire’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspīritus‘air, breath, breathing’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400espirit‘spirit’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500spirit‘life, vital breath’
- English1500–presentsame form
- EnglishtodaySpiritist
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspīrō‘to breathe, draw breath, respire’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspīritus‘air, breath, breathing’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400espirit‘spirit’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500spirit‘life, vital breath’
- English1500–presentsame form
- EnglishtodaySpiritist
A compound of spirit + -ist
Latin spīrō ‘to breathe’
Latin spīritus ‘breath’
Old French espirit
Middle English spirit ‘life’
English spirit
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- ‘to breathe’
through Latin spīrō ‘to breathe, draw breath, respire’
conspiracy, respiratory, expire, aspire, aspiration, spire, aspirant, 52 more
through Latin spīritus ‘air, breath, breathing’
Today it means
noun A follower of Spiritism.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin spīrō / Spiritist