perspiration

American  

[pur-spuh-ray-shuhn] / ˈpɜr spəˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

• perspirations
  plural

1. a salty, watery fluid secreted by the sweat glands of the skin, especially when very warm as a result of strenuous exertion; sweat.

2. the act or process of perspiring.

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perspiration British  

/ ˌpɜːspəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of insensibly eliminating fluid through the pores of the skin, which evaporates immediately

2. the sensible elimination of fluid through the pores of the skin, which is visible as droplets on the skin

3. the salty fluid secreted through the pores of the skin; sweat

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Synonym Usage

Perspiration, sweat refer primarily to moisture exuded by animals and people from the pores of the skin. Perspiration is often regarded as the more polite word, and is often used overfastidiously by those who consider sweat coarse; but sweat is a strong word and in some cases obviously more appropriate: a light perspiration; the sweat of his brow. Sweat is always used when referring to animals or objects: Sweat drips from a horse's flanks. It may also be used metaphorically of objects: Sweat forms on apples after they are gathered.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• perspirations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of perspiration

First recorded in 1605–15, in sense “a breathing through”; 1620–30 for current senses; from New Latin perspīrātiōn- (stem of perspīrātiō ) “imperceptible sweating,” literally, “a breathing through.” See perspire, -ation

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Explanation

Perspiration is a polite name for "sweat." Perspiration is what makes you dread gym class and what keeps deodorant manufacturers in business. Let's face it, sweat is kind of gross — it drips down your face and can even make your body smell badly. But, it doesn't sound so bad if you refer to it as perspiration, does it? Still, perspiration means that salty fluid secreted by your sweat glands, when your body is hot. Perspiration can also be used to mean the process of sweating.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

perspiration perspirations

Your skin is slightly shining from perspiration, but you barely feel the heat because you get to enjoy the cold deliciousness of a frozen yogurt pop.

From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026

"There are even some rather moving, rather touching details -- namely, its silk lining shows clear signs of perspiration," he said.

From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026

Exposure to heat, with the perspiration that follows, eventually calls for hydration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026

He danced with electric energy, sang with heartwarming ardency, and splashed perspiration around the Circle in the Square in “Just in Time,” portraying the 1960s chart-topper and sometime movie star Bobby Darin.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 26, 2025

Finally the archaeologist appeared, smelling faintly of perspiration, and they dove into their cucumber-mint soup.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

I have tried walking nine miles a day, thus getting up free perspirations.

From The Healthy Life, Vol. V, Nos. 24-28 The Independent Health Magazine by Charles William Daniel

But with all this he was a total stranger to sleep; he burst out into immoderate perspirations; and there was scarcely any thing that remained of him, but skin and bone.

From Lives of the Necromancers by William Godwin

The perspirations which accompany this disease are most profuse, like those of advanced phthisis.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various

Talking, too, if it continued but half an hour, exhausted me so that profuse perspirations followed, and the same effect was produced even by an active exertion of the mind for the like time.

From Autographs for Freedom, Volume 2 (of 2) (1854) by Julia Griffiths

She had that tenderness for his melancholy fate, that his great red countenance used to break out into cold perspirations when she looked at him.

From Hard Times by Charles Dickens

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