Phrase guide

smooth breathing

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The lack of aspiration on a vowel or semivowel in Ancient Greek.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, phonetics, phonology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A diacritic (’/◌̓) in Ancient, Medieval and Modern Greek used to indicate this lack of aspiration (or its historical presence), e.g. ἀ, ῤ.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: communications, journalism, literature, media, orthography, publishing, writing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spiritus lenis, psili, psilon pneuma

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Calque of Latin spīritus lēnis, from Ancient Greek ψιλὸν πνεῦμα (psilòn pneûma).

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: heikko henkäys — diacritic in Greek
  • Finnish: spiritus lenis — diacritic in Greek
  • French: esprit doux — diacritic in Greek
  • German: Spiritus lenis — diacritic in Greek
  • Greek: ψιλή (psilí) — diacritic in Greek
  • Ancient Greek: ψιλὸν πνεῦμα (psilòn pneûma) — diacritic in Greek
  • Italian: spirito dolce — diacritic in Greek
  • Latin: spīritus lēnis — diacritic in Greek
  • Polish: przydech słaby — diacritic in Greek
  • Portuguese: espírito brando — diacritic in Greek
  • Russian: то́нкое придыха́ние (tónkoje pridyxánije) — diacritic in Greek
  • Russian: зва́тельце (zvátelʹce) — diacritic in Greek
  • Sicilian: spìritu duci — diacritic in Greek