suspire

[ suh-spahyuh r ]
/ səˈspaɪər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR suspire ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), sus·pired, sus·pir·ing.

to sigh.
to breathe.

verb (used with object), sus·pired, sus·pir·ing.

to sigh; utter with long, sighing breaths.

QUIZZES

TAKE ROUND 2 OF OUR PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ!

Here is our second set of teacher-selected PSAT vocabulary words. Do you know the meanings of these terms?
Question 1 of 10
advocate
to give up possession or occupancy of.
to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.
to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of suspire

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin suspīrāre, equivalent to su- su- + spīrāre to breathe

Words nearby suspire

suspensory muscle of duodenum, suspicion, suspicional, suspicious, suspiration, suspire, susquehanna, suss, sussed, sussex, sussex spaniel
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to suspire

yearn, moan, sob, groan, whisper, cry, whistle, murmur, gasp, exhale, howl, covet, fancy, breathe, huff, spew, vomit, puff, aim, itch

British Dictionary definitions for suspire

suspire
/ (səˈspaɪə) /

verb archaic, or poetic

to sigh or utter with a sigh; yearn
(intr) to breathe; respire

Derived forms of suspire

suspiration (ˌsʌspɪˈreɪʃən), noun

Word Origin for suspire

C15: from Latin suspīrāre to take a deep breath, from sub- + spīrāre to breathe
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