perspiration
C1Slightly formal, medical, literary.
Definition
Meaning
The clear, salty liquid that comes through your skin when you are hot, nervous, or exercising; sweat.
Figuratively, the result of hard work or effort; a manifestation of diligent labor.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used in more polite or formal contexts than 'sweat'. Carries a neutral or sometimes positive connotation when referring to effort.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major difference in meaning. 'Sweat' is more common in everyday speech in both varieties. 'Perspiration' is slightly more frequent in formal UK writing.
Connotations
In both, 'perspiration' is more clinical/polite. In AmE, the phrase 'genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration' (attributed to Edison) is proverbial.
Frequency
Used with similar low frequency in both, but 'sweat' is overwhelmingly the dominant term in casual conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N + of + perspiration (a bead of perspiration)V + perspiration (wipe away perspiration)Adj + perspiration (excessive perspiration)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Blood, sweat, and tears (variant includes concept)”
- “Ninety-nine percent perspiration”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except metaphorically: 'The company's success was built on the perspiration of its early employees.'
Academic
Used in biological, medical, or physiological contexts to describe the process.
Everyday
Polite term: 'I could see the perspiration on his forehead.' More common in written descriptions.
Technical
Standard term in medicine and physiology for the secretion of sweat glands.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He began to perspire lightly in the humid air.
- The strenuous climb caused her to perspire profusely.
American English
- I tend to perspire heavily during summer workouts.
- The witness started to perspire under questioning.
adverb
British English
- He worked perspiringly in the midday sun. (rare, literary)
American English
- She finished the race perspiringly but triumphant. (rare, literary)
adjective
British English
- She wiped her perspiring brow with a handkerchief.
- The perspiring runners reached for their water bottles.
American English
- His perspiring face gleamed in the stadium lights.
- The perspiring glass of iced tea left a ring on the table.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- After running, I had perspiration on my face.
- It's hot, and I can see your perspiration.
- He wiped the perspiration from his forehead with the back of his hand.
- The doctor said excessive perspiration could be a sign of a problem.
- Despite the air conditioning, a fine film of perspiration covered her skin from the stress of the presentation.
- Success is often a mixture of talent and sheer perspiration.
- The novel vividly describes the physicality of labour—the smell of soil and the salty tang of human perspiration.
- The athlete's performance was a testament to years of disciplined perspiration in the gym.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'PERSPIRE' + 'ATION'. To PERSPIRE is the action, and the RESULT of that action is PERSPIRATION.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSPIRATION IS LIQUID EFFORT (e.g., 'the perspiration of his brow').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'inspiration' (вдохновение). 'Perspiration' is пот, related to physical effort, not ideas.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I was full of perspiration.' (Better: 'I was dripping with perspiration.')
- Spelling error: 'persperation'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely context for the word 'perspiration'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Sweat' is the common, everyday word. 'Perspiration' is more formal, polite, or scientific. They mean the same thing physically.
It is usually uncountable (e.g., 'There was perspiration on his brow'). You can make it countable with phrases like 'beads of perspiration'.
Yes, it often represents hard work or effort, as in the famous quote attributing genius largely to 'perspiration' rather than 'inspiration'.
The verb is 'to perspire'. It is more formal than 'to sweat'. Example: 'Patients may perspire heavily during a fever.'