aspirant (n.)

"strive for, seek eagerly to attain, long to reach," c. 1400, aspiren, from Old French aspirer "aspire to; inspire; breathe, breathe on" (12c.), from Latin aspirare "to breathe upon, blow upon, to breathe," also, in transferred senses, "to be favorable to, assist; to climb up to, to endeavor to obtain, to reach to, to seek to reach; infuse," from ad "to" (see ad-) + spirare "to breathe" (see spirit (n.)).

The notion is of "panting with desire," or perhaps of rising smoke. The literal sense of "breathe, exhale" (1530s) is rare in English. Related: Aspired; aspiring.