transpire

verb

tran·​spire tran(t)-ˈspī(-ə)r 

transpired; transpiring

intransitive verb

1

: to take place : go on, occur

2

a

: to become known or apparent : develop

b

: to be revealed : come to light

3

: to give off vaporous material

specifically : to give off or exude watery vapor especially from the surfaces of leaves

4

: to pass in the form of a vapor from a living body

transitive verb

: to pass off or give passage to (a fluid) through pores or interstices

especially : to excrete (a fluid, such as water) in the form of a vapor through a living membrane (such as the skin)

Can transpire mean 'to occur'?: Usage Guide

Sense 1 of transpire is the frequent whipping boy of those who suppose sense 2 to be the only meaning of the word. Sense 1 appears to have developed in the late 18th century; it was well enough known to have been used by Abigail Adams in a letter to her husband in 1775.

there is nothing new transpired since I wrote you last

—Abigail Adams

Noah Webster recognized the new sense in his dictionary of 1828. Transpire was evidently a popular word with 19th century journalists; sense 1 turns up in such pretentiously worded statements as "The police drill will transpire under shelter to-day in consequence of the moist atmosphere prevailing." Around 1870 the sense began to be attacked as a misuse on the grounds of etymology, and modern critics echo the damnation of 1870. Sense 1 has been in existence for about two centuries; it is firmly established as standard; it occurs now primarily in serious prose, not the ostentatiously flamboyant prose typical of 19th century journalism.

Did you know?

Transpire (based on Latin spirare, meaning "to breathe") was originally used technically to describe the passage of vapor through the pores of a membrane (such as the skin). From this use developed the figurative sense: "to escape from secrecy" or "to become known." That sense was used in ambiguous contexts and often meant "to happen" or "to take place."

Synonyms

• be
• befall
• betide
• chance
• come
• come about
• come down
• come off
• cook
• do
• go down [slang]
• go on
• hap
• happen
• occur
• pass

Examples of transpire in a Sentence

No one will soon forget the historic events that transpired on that day.

A plant transpires more freely on a hot dry day.

Trees transpire water at a rapid rate.

Recent Examples on the Web

From the perspective of the protesting writers, this interpretation of what has transpired since October 7 is both irrefutable and cause for repeating the charge as loudly as possible. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2024

Even at 65-70%, could the kid have been any worse than what transpired Sunday? —Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French transpirer, from Medieval Latin transpirare, from Latin trans- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

transpire

verb

tran·​spire tran(t)s-ˈpī(ə)r 

transpired; transpiring

1

: to pass or give off in the form of water vapor through stomata in leaves

2

: to become known or apparent : become revealed

it transpired that we had the wrong address

3

: to come to pass : happen

what transpired last night