Etymograph

English

inspire

Inspire comes from Latin īnspīrō.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnspīrōas īnspīrāre
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400inspirer
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inspiren
  4. Englishearliest quotation c. 1588–1593inspire

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnspīrōas īnspīrāre
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400inspirer
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inspiren
  4. Englishearliest quotation c. 1588–1593inspire

Earliest quotation: c. 1588–1593, William Shakespeare, The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus: “Dawning day new comfort hath inspired.”

Every English word from Latin īnspīrō

Today it means

verb To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin īnspīrō / inspire

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