English Explanatory Dictionary

inspiration

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing.
  2. A single inward breath (intake of air).
  3. A supernatural divine influence on the prophets, apostles, or sacred writers, by which they were qualified to communicate moral or religious truth with authority; a supernatural influence which qualifies people to receive and communicate divine truth; also, the truth communicated.
  4. The act or process of an elevating or stimulating influence upon the intellect, emotions or creativity.
  5. A person, object, or situation which quickens or stimulates an influence upon the intellect, emotions or creativity.
  6. A new idea, especially one which arises suddenly and is clever or creative.

Pronunciation

/ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ ĭn'spərāʹshən /ˌɪn.spɚˈeɪ.ʃən/ en-us-inspiration.ogg /ˌɪn.spəˈɹæɪ.ʃən/

Word forms

inspiration inspirations

Etymology

From Middle English inspiracioun, from Old French inspiration, from Late Latin īnspīrātiōnem (nominative: īnspīrātiō), from Latin īnspīrātus (past participle of inspīrō). By surface analysis, inspire + -ation. Displaced native Old English onbryrdnes (literally “in-pricked-ness”).

Synonyms

inhalation motivation spark flash eureka

Antonyms

expiration exhalation

Related words

inspire Muse Pierian spring

Derived words

bioinspiration fitspiration genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration inspirational inspirationism inspirationist inspiration porn inspo misinspiration reinspiration singspiration thinspiration

Translations

Arabic: إِلْهَام Armenian: ոգեշնչում Belarusian: натхне́нне Bulgarian: вдъхновение Catalan: inspiració Chinese Mandarin: 鼓舞 Chinese Mandarin: 靈感 /灵感 Czech: inspirace Danish: inspiration Dutch: inspiratie Esperanto: inspiro Esperanto: inspiriteco Finnish: inspiraatio Finnish: innoitus French: inspiration Georgian: შთაგონება Georgian: ინსპირაცია German: Inspiration Greek: έμπνευση Hebrew: הַשְׁרָאָה Hindi: प्रेरणा Hungarian: ösztönzés Hungarian: lelkesítés Hungarian: inspiráció Hungarian: sugallat Hungarian: ihlet Hungarian: szikra Icelandic: innblástur Indonesian: ilham Indonesian: inspirasi Irish: inspioráid Irish: spreagadh Italian: ispirazione Italian: illuminazione Italian: suggestione Japanese: 霊感 Japanese: 鼓舞 Korean: 고취 Korean: 고무 Korean: 격려 Korean: 감화 Latvian: iedvesma Latvian: inspirācija Macedonian: вдахнове́ние Malay: ilham Māori: whakaohoohonga Māori: whakahihikotanga Navajo: dadíníidzįįł Norwegian Bokmål: inspirasjon Norwegian Nynorsk: inspirasjon Old English: onbryrdnes Old Norse: óðr Polish: natchnienie Polish: inspiracja Portuguese: inspiração Romanian: inspirație Russian: вдохнове́ние Serbo-Croatian: nadahnuće Serbo-Croatian: zadahnuće Serbo-Croatian: udahnuće Spanish: inspiración Swedish: inspiration
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