English vocabulary · B2
Perspire
/pərˈspaɪər/ · v.
Perspire means to make sweat come out through your skin. You may perspire when you run, feel hot, or feel nervous. The small drops can make your face or shirt wet.
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Example sentences
- After the race, I perspired through my shirt.
- The hot room made him perspire.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- per — through (from Latin)
- spir — breathe (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- SWEAT — make sweat (Wet Drops From Skin)
- EXUDE — send liquid out (Send Liquid Out)
- TRANSPIRE — let moisture out (Let Moisture Pass Out)
Words with the same root
spir — breathe
- inspire — fill with an idea or feeling
- expire — come to an end
- respire — breathe
Lesson notes
Perspire means to make sweat come out through your skin. You may perspire when you run, feel hot, or feel nervous. The small drops can make your face or shirt wet.
Related: sweat, exude, transpire. Use perspire when sweat comes out through your skin.
After the race, I perspired through my shirt. The hot room made him perspire.
From Latin. Per- means through. Spir- means breathe. Breathing through your skin makes you perspire.