Hopes or ambitions of achieving something; strong desires to reach particular goals or attain certain positions in life.
From Latin aspirare meaning 'to breathe upon, aspire to,' from ad- 'to' + spirare 'to breathe.' The metaphor suggests reaching upward like breath rising, connecting physical breathing with spiritual or intellectual reaching.
The connection between breathing and hoping is profound - both aspiration and inspiration literally mean 'breathing in,' suggesting that our highest hopes are as essential as air. Ancient cultures believed breath carried the soul's deepest desires skyward.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.