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rough breathing

See more synonyms for rough breathing on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the symbol (ʿ) used in the writing of Greek to indicate aspiration of the initial vowel or of the ρ (rho) over which it is placed.
  2. the aspirated sound indicated by this mark.
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Compare smooth breathing.

Origin of rough breathing

1740–50; translation of Latin spiritus asper
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for rough breathing

Historical Examples

  • All other rough-breathing marks have been added by the transcriber.

    An Essay on the Lyric Poetry of the Ancients

    John Ogilvie

  • Greek accents are often unclear and (apart from rough-breathing marks) have been omitted.

    A Vindication of the Presbyteriall-Government and Ministry

    Ministers and Elders of the London Provinciall Assembly

British Dictionary definitions for rough breathing

rough breathing

noun
  1. (in Greek) the sign (῾) placed over an initial letter, or a second letter if the word begins with a diphthong, indicating that (in ancient Greek) it was pronounced with an hCompare smooth breathing
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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