Efflate

/ɪˈfleɪt/ verb

Definition

To blow out or breathe out; to expel air or breath from the lungs.

Etymology

From Latin 'efflare' (ex- 'out' + flare 'to blow'), a literal description of the physical action of expelling breath. This word is rarely used in modern English but appears in medical and scientific texts.

Kelly Says

In the 1600s, natural philosophers studying respiration used 'efflate' to describe what happens when you exhale—it's the exact opposite of 'inflate,' making English's word pairs surprisingly neat.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.