aspirate

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'aspirate' is correct and usable in written English.
It is a verb which means to pronounce a letter (usually 'h') with a strong breath of air. For example, you can use it in a sentence such as "She aspirated the hard 'h' sound as she pronounced the word 'horse'".

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

Grimm's term, "aspirate," it will be noted, covered such phonetically distinct categories as aspirated stops (bh, ph), produced with an accompanying audible puff of breath, and fricatives (f ), produced with audible friction as a result of incomplete closure in the vocal tract.

Encyclopedia Britannica

After-sales service might be provided by a polite young Indian call-centre agent, trained in stress management and taught how to aspirate her Ps the American way.A few years ago, the combination of technology and management know-how that makes this global network of relationships possible would have been celebrated as a wonder of the new economy.

The Economist

They did not retain the three Greek aspirate letters (theta, phi, and chi) in the alphabet because there were no corresponding Latin sounds but did employ them to represent the numbers 100, 1,000, and 50.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Grimm noted, for example, that where Gothic (the oldest surviving Germanic language) had an f, Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit frequently had a p (e.g., Gothic fotus, Latin pedis, Greek podós, Sanskrit padás, all meaning "foot"); when Gothic had a p, the non-Germanic languages had a b; when Gothic had a b, the non-Germanic languages had what Grimm called an "aspirate" (Latin f, Greek ph, Sanskrit bh).

Encyclopedia Britannica

They tend to aspirate both plosives (stops) and fricative consonants very forcibly; thus, two is pronounced with an audible puff of breath after the initial t, and while may be heard with a voiceless /w/.

Encyclopedia Britannica

General anesthesia is required, however, to aspirate the bone marrow from the iliac crests, which is then infused into the recipient.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

(Latin, having lost the voice in initial position, subsequently changed both of the resultant voiceless aspirates into the fricative f, and it lost the aspiration in medial position).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Sinhalese has no aspirated stops, Assamese has no retroflexes, and Kashmiri has no voiced aspirates.

Encyclopedia Britannica

His final credit, in 1992, was the screenplay from one of Paul Gallico's patronising novels featuring the aspirate-dropping Mrs 'Arris.

The Guardian

It has been known for years that a simple way to eliminate naso-gastric errors is to use ph indicator paper to test the fluid aspirated through the tube.

The Guardian

In general, a turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder pengineengine can deliver the power of a naturally aspirated 3-litre six-cylinder unit.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing medical procedures, use "aspirate" to accurately convey the removal of fluids or gases from the body. Be specific about what is being aspirated (e.g., "aspirate fluid from the lung").

Common error

Don't confuse the medical sense of "aspirate" (to remove fluid) with the linguistic sense (to pronounce a consonant with a puff of air). Ensure your usage is clear from context to avoid ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The word "aspirate" functions primarily as a verb, describing the act of removing fluid or gas by suction or inhaling something unintentionally. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It also functions as a noun in linguistic contexts, referring to the puff of air during speech.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

46%

News & Media

46%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "aspirate" is a versatile term with distinct meanings in medical and linguistic contexts. As Ludwig highlights, it correctly refers to the removal of fluid by suction or accidental inhalation in medicine. It also describes the puff of air accompanying certain consonant sounds in phonetics. Its usage is most frequent in encyclopedias and news media, with a formal or neutral register depending on the subject. Understanding both meanings is crucial to avoid misinterpretation. When describing medical procedures, it's best to be specific about what is being "aspirated". In phonetic contexts, ensure clarity to differentiate it from the medical use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

draw out fluid

Focuses on the extraction aspect, specifically mentioning fluid.

remove by suction

Emphasizes the method of removal using suction.

extract via aspiration

Highlights the process of aspiration during extraction.

inhale involuntarily

Highlights the involuntary nature of inhaling a foreign object.

pronounce with aspiration

Focuses on the pronunciation aspect, highlighting the aspiration.

breathe in accidentally

Describes the accidental intake of substances into the lungs.

evacuate by vacuum

Highlights the vacuum-assisted removal of fluids or gases.

sound with a puff of air

Relates to the phonetic production of aspirated sounds.

withdraw through a needle

Focuses on the medical procedure of withdrawing fluid using a needle.

clear by suctioning

Highlights the action of clearing something using suction.

FAQs

How is "aspirate" used in medical contexts?

In medicine, "aspirate" refers to removing fluids or other substances from the body using suction. For instance, a doctor might "aspirate fluid" from a cyst or "aspirate bone marrow" for testing.

What does "aspirate" mean in phonetics?

In phonetics, "aspirate" means to pronounce a consonant with a puff of air, such as the 'h' in "hat". This differs from the medical meaning of removing fluids.

What's the difference between "aspirate" and "inhale"?

"Inhale" generally refers to breathing in air, while "aspirate" in a medical context often refers to unintentionally inhaling fluids or objects into the lungs. For example, a person might "aspirate food" if they choke.

Is it correct to use "aspirate" when talking about language pronunciation?

Yes, in linguistics, "aspirate" is correctly used to describe the production of certain sounds with a puff of air. Some languages, like Hindi, have many "aspirated consonants".