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transpire. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
transpire, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
transpire in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
transpire you have here. The definition of the word
transpire will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
transpire, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French transpirer, from Medieval Latin transpirare (“to breathe through”), from Latin trans (“across”) spirare (“to breathe”). The sense “to become known” is also present in French, while the sense “to happen” is not; the latter probably developed in English from the former.
Pronunciation
Verb
transpire (third-person singular simple present transpires, present participle transpiring, simple past and past participle transpired)
- (transitive, intransitive) To give off (vapour, waste matter etc.); to exhale (an odour etc.).
- (obsolete, intransitive) To perspire.
- Synonym: sweat
- (botany, intransitive) Of plants, to give off water and waste products through the stomata.
- (intransitive) To become known; to escape from secrecy.
- Synonym: come to light
It eventually transpired that the murder victim had been a notorious blackmailer.
1832, Thomas De Quincey, Klosterheim Or, the Masque:The story of Paulina's and Maximilian's mutual attachment had transpired through many of the travellers.
1839, Edmund Burke, The Annual Register of World Events:Hubert then recommends M. Leproux to be punctual to meet him at the rendezvous agreed on between them, where a third individual, whose name did not transpire, was to join them.
- (loosely, intransitive) To happen, take place.
- Synonyms: come about, come to pass, occur; see also Thesaurus:happen
2018 September 21, Mark Rice-Oxley, “Don't mention the R-word”, in The Guardian:But there is a school of thought that holds that the more you talk about recession, the more likely it is to transpire.
Usage notes
The meaning happen, occur possibly arose from a misinterpretation of the word's use in the meaning become known, figuratively drawn from the original exude (vapour, etc.). Claiming it to be wrong and affected, some critics discourage use in this sense. Nevertheless, it is traceable to the 18th and has been common since the 19th century.
Derived terms
Translations
botany: to give off water and waste products through the stomata
to happen, take place
— see happen
Further reading
Anagrams
French
Verb
transpire
- inflection of transpirer:
- first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
- second-person singular imperative
Anagrams
Galician
Verb
transpire
- inflection of transpirar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative
Portuguese
Verb
transpire
- inflection of transpirar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative
Romanian
Pronunciation
Verb
transpire
- third-person singular/plural present subjunctive of transpira
Spanish
Verb
transpire
- inflection of transpirar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative