Perspiration is the moisture the skin gives off when hot. Beads of perspiration, perspiration and inspiration, heavy perspiration.
It is the polite word where sweat is the plain one, and the distinction is entirely one of register. Its purpose is cooling by evaporation, which is why it works badly in humid air. Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration is Edison's line. Note perspire; and that the Latin means to breathe through.
1nounperspirationThe moisture the skin gives off when hot.
“Beads of perspiration ran down his face as he climbed the hill in the heat.”
perspiration is a bodily moisture.
Latin perspirare is per plus spirare, to breathe. Spirit, inspire and respiration come from the same breathing.
Latin
perspirare — to blow or breathe constantly
Middle French
perspiration
English, today
perspiration
Built from
Borrowed from late Middle French perspiration, from perspirer (“perspire”), from Latin perspirare (“to blow or breathe constantly”), from per (“through”) + spirare (“to breathe, blow”). Morphologically perspire + ation.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA