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inspirare

to inhale

verb een-spee-RAH-reh Rare
Body & Health Health & Illness

Origin: Latin inspirare (to breathe into)

Also means

to inspire

Usage Note

Inspirare means specifically to breathe in (inhale), as opposed to espirare (to exhale). It is a false friend of the English 'inspire' (in the creative sense) — for artistic inspiration, Italian uses ispirare. In medical contexts, inspirare is the standard clinical term for the inhalation phase of breathing.

Examples

"Inspira profondamente e poi espira lentamente."

Natural Translation

Inhale deeply and then exhale slowly.

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