aspirate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Scientific/Medical
Quick answer
What does “aspirate” mean?
To pronounce a sound with an accompanying strong burst of breath (like the 'h' in 'hat'), or to draw fluid or air from a body cavity using suction.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To pronounce a sound with an accompanying strong burst of breath (like the 'h' in 'hat'), or to draw fluid or air from a body cavity using suction.
In phonetics, to produce a plosive consonant with a noticeable 'h'-like puff of air. In medicine/science, to withdraw fluid or tissue via a needle or tube. Figuratively, to inhale or take something in.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical across dialects in technical contexts. Phonetic description (e.g., aspirated /t/) is standard in both. Medical procedure terminology ('to aspirate a cyst') is also identical.
Connotations
No significant difference in connotation. Both treat it as a precise technical term.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and technical in both dialects. Possibly slightly more frequent in the US in the medical sense due to broader public discourse on healthcare.
Grammar
How to Use “aspirate” in a Sentence
to aspirate [something] (e.g., fluid, a cyst)to aspirate [sound] (e.g., /p/, the /t/ in 'top')to be aspirated (passive, e.g., The consonant is aspirated.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “aspirate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The surgeon needed to aspirate the abscess to relieve the pressure.
- In Received Pronunciation, we aspirate the /t/ in 'tea'.
American English
- The doctor will aspirate the joint fluid for analysis.
- American English speakers aspirate the /p/ at the start of 'pen'.
adverb
British English
- The plosive was pronounced aspirately.
- He spoke aspirately, with clear puff of air.
American English
- The stop was realized aspirately.
- She articulated the sound aspirately.
adjective
British English
- The phoneme /k/ is aspirate in the word 'cat'.
- They studied the aspirate quality of initial stops.
American English
- Aspirate consonants like /tʰ/ are common in initial position.
- The sound was weakly aspirate.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in linguistics (phonetics/phonology) and medical/biological sciences.
Everyday
Very rare; a layperson might encounter it in a medical report.
Technical
Core term in phonetics and clinical/medical procedures.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “aspirate”
- Confusing 'aspirate' (verb) with 'aspire' (verb, to have a goal).
- Using it as a general synonym for 'breathe in' (it's more specific to suction or phonetic release).
- Pronouncing it /əˈspaɪə.reɪt/ (incorrect) instead of /ˈæs.pɪ.reɪt/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Aspirate' is a technical verb meaning to pronounce with a puff of air or to suck out fluid. 'Aspire' is a common verb meaning to have a strong desire or ambition (e.g., 'She aspires to be a doctor'). They are completely different words.
No, it is a highly specialized term. You will almost exclusively encounter it in medical, scientific, or linguistic contexts. The average person might hear it during a medical procedure explanation.
Yes, though less common. In phonetics, an 'aspirate' can refer to the sound /h/ or an aspirated consonant. In medicine, it refers to the fluid or tissue withdrawn by aspiration (e.g., 'The aspirate was sent to the lab').
Hold your hand or a thin piece of paper close to your mouth. Say 'pin' and then 'spin'. You should feel a stronger puff of air or see the paper move more on the 'p' in 'pin'. That 'p' is aspirated (/pʰ/); the 'p' in 'spin' is not.
To pronounce a sound with an accompanying strong burst of breath (like the 'h' in 'hat'), or to draw fluid or air from a body cavity using suction.
Aspirate is usually technical/scientific/medical in register.
Aspirate: in British English it is pronounced /ˈæs.pɪ.reɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈæs.pə.reɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an ASPIRator (vacuum cleaner) which SUCKS. To ASPIRATE is to SUCK out fluid. For speech, imagine saying 'Puff!' with a strong puff (aspiration) of air.
Conceptual Metaphor
REMOVAL IS SUCTION (medical); PRONUNCIATION IS A FORCEFUL RELEASE (phonetics).
Practice
Quiz
In which of these words is the initial consonant typically NOT aspirated in General American English?