expire

Where does the word "expire" come from? It comes from Latin exspirare, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Expire’s story begins in Latin: exspirare meant “to breathe out, to die.” To breathe out, from ex- (out) and spirare (to breathe). It reached English by 1400s as expire. Settled as the English word for coming to an end, or dying. Today, expire means to come to an end, or for a period of validity to run out.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient exspirare "to breathe out, to die", to breathe out, from ex- (out) and spirare (to breathe).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s expire "to come to an end, or to die", settled as the English word for coming to an end, or dying.