inspiration
noun
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The Inspirational History of Inspiration
Inspiration has an unusual history in that its figurative sense appears to predate its literal one. It comes from the Latin inspiratus (the past participle of inspirare, “to breathe into, inspire”) and in English has had the meaning “the drawing of air into the lungs” since the middle of the 16th century. This breathing sense is still in common use among doctors, as is expiration (“the act or process of releasing air from the lungs”). However, before inspiration was used to refer to breath it had a distinctly theological meaning in English, referring to a divine influence upon a person, from a divine entity; this sense dates back to the early 14th century. The sense of inspiration often found today (“someone or something that inspires”) is considerably newer than either of these two senses, dating from the 19th century.
Examples of inspiration in a Sentence
Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2025
His Thing appearance is a combination of motion capture and CGI rather than heavy prosthetics, and director Matt Shakman consulted scientists and drew inspiration from desert rocks for the character's design.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 4 Feb. 2025
Rihanna has always been such an icon and inspiration and being chosen to represent her vision across Savage X Fenty and Fenty Beauty is an honor.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Feb. 2025
Performance artists like Rebecca Horn, Marina Abramovic and Vanessa Beecroft are my forever sources of inspiration.
—James Manso, WWD, 4 Feb. 2025
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Dictionary Entries Near inspiration
Cite this Entry
“Inspiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inspiration. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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inspiration
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