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insufflation (n.)
1570s, in ecclesiastical use, "a breathing upon," to symbolize the influence of the Holy Ghost or to expel evil spirits, from Late Latin insufflationem (nominative insufflatio) "a blowing into," noun of action from past participle stem of insufflare, from in- "in, into" (from PIE root *en "in") + sufflare "blow from below," from assimilated form of sub "under, below" (see sub-) + flare "to blow" (from PIE root *bhle- "to blow"). Medical sense of "a blowing of air into" (the lungs) is from 1821; that sense is found earlier in French.
updated on May 07, 2017
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Dictionary entries near insufflation
insubstantiality
insue
insufferable
insufficiency
insufficient
insufflation
insula
insular
insularism
insularity
insulate