inspiration

[ in-spuh-rey-shuhn ]
See synonyms for: inspirationinspirations on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. an inspiring or animating action or influence: I cannot write poetry without inspiration.

  2. something inspired, as an idea.

  1. a result of inspired activity.

  2. a thing or person that inspires.

  3. Theology.

    • a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.

    • the divine quality of the writings or words of a person so influenced.

  4. the drawing of air into the lungs; inhalation.

  5. the act of inspiring; quality or state of being inspired.

Origin of inspiration

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English inspiracio(u)n, from Late Latin inspīrātiōn-, stem of inspīrātiō literally “a breathing in,” from inspīrāt(us) “breathed in” (past participle of inspīrāre; see inspire) + -iō -ion

Other words for inspiration

Other words from inspiration

  • re·in·spi·ra·tion, noun

Words Nearby inspiration

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use inspiration in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inspiration

inspiration

/ (ˌɪnspɪˈreɪʃən) /


noun
  1. stimulation or arousal of the mind, feelings, etc, to special or unusual activity or creativity

  2. the state or quality of being so stimulated or aroused

  1. someone or something that causes this state

  2. an idea or action resulting from such a state

  3. the act or process of inhaling; breathing in

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for inspiration

inspiration

[ ĭn′spə-rāshən ]


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.