Breath
/brɛθ/noun
The air taken into or expelled from the lungs.
Did you know?In many ancient cultures, breath was considered the carrier of the soul and spirit, linking life force to the divine.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷʰer-
“To breathe or to be hot, indicating the warmth of life.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πνεῦμα (pneuma)
“Breath, spirit, or soul, signifying the life force.”
Latin
Latin
spiritus
“Breath or spirit, often associated with vitality and divinity.”
Old English
Old English
brēath
“Breath, referring to the act of breathing and the life it signifies.”
14th Century
Middle English
breth
“Breathe, denoting both the physical act and the essence of life.”
Modern English
English
breath
“The act of breathing; a vital function essential for life.”