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Added 8 October 2026

insufflate

/ˈɪnsʌfleɪt/ verb

Latin root: īnsufflātus First recorded: 1670 Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about insufflate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Breathe or blow onto as a ritual or sacramental act, especially so as to symbolize the action of the Holy Spirit.
Treat by blowing a powder or vapor into a bodily cavity.
Blow or breathe hard on or into.

Origin

First attested in 1670; borrowed from Latin īnsufflātus, perfect passive participle of īnsufflō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)) from in- + sufflō (“to blow on”). Cognate with French insuffler.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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