aspirate

1 of 2

noun

as·​pi·​rate ˈa-sp(ə-)rət How to pronounce aspirate (audio)
1
: an independent sound \h\ or a character (such as the letter h) representing it
2
: a consonant having aspiration as its final component
in English the \p\ of pit is an aspirate
3
: material removed by aspiration

aspirate

2 of 2

verb

as·​pi·​rate ˈa-spə-ˌrāt How to pronounce aspirate (audio)
aspirated; aspirating

transitive verb

1
: to pronounce (a vowel or a consonant) with aspiration (see aspiration sense 3a)
2
a
: to draw by suction
b
: to remove (something such as blood) by aspiration
c
: to take into the lungs by aspiration

Examples of aspirate in a Sentence

Noun The word “hour” is not pronounced with an aspirate. Verb The letter “h” in “house” is aspirated, but the “h” in “hour” is not. She began coughing when she aspirated some orange juice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
According to veterinary oncologists, a fine needle aspirate to see what kinds of cells it’s made of is almost always in order in these cases. Dr. Patty Khuly, miamiherald, 5 July 2018
Verb
The uncertainty of my condition lingered, but relief came when the team aspirated my right knee, which instantly helped with my pain. Prince Villaneuva, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 The production Akula will be powered by a mid-mounted naturally aspirated 6.4-liter V-8. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for aspirate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aspirate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin aspiratus, past participle of aspirare

First Known Use

Noun

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aspirate was in 1617

Dictionary Entries Near aspirate

Cite this Entry

“Aspirate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aspirate. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

aspirate

1 of 2 verb
as·​pi·​rate ˈas-pə-ˌrāt How to pronounce aspirate (audio)
aspirated; aspirating
1
: to pronounce with an initial \h\
2
: to remove (as blood) by suction

aspirate

2 of 2 noun
as·​pi·​rate ˈas-p(ə-)rət How to pronounce aspirate (audio)
: the sound \h\ or a letter or symbol representing it

Medical Definition

aspirate

1 of 2 transitive verb
as·​pi·​rate ˈas-pə-ˌrāt How to pronounce aspirate (audio)
aspirated; aspirating
1
: to draw by suction
2
: to remove (as blood) by aspiration
the portal vein is exposed and blood is aspirated with a 50-ml. syringeBiological Abstracts
3
: inhale
aspirated material into the respiratory tractAnesthesia Digest

aspirate

2 of 2 noun
as·​pi·​rate ˈas-p(ə-)ret How to pronounce aspirate (audio)
: material removed by aspiration

More from Merriam-Webster on aspirate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!