What does spir mean in medical terms?
spir
Meaning: to breathe
Type: Word root · Body system: Lungs & Breathing
A word root is the core of a word; prefixes and suffixes attach around it. On this page: what spir means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using spir
respiration
re- (again) + spir (breathe) + -ation (process) = process of breathing
re- (again) + spir (breathe) + -ation (process) = process of breathing
spirometry
spir (breathe) + -metry (measurement) = measurement of breathing
spir (breathe) + -metry (measurement) = measurement of breathing
Shortened forms
Charts and notes shorten long terms — see the Medical Abbreviations guide for the short forms you will meet in real records.
Please note: This section teaches the language of medicine — what word parts mean and how terms are built. It is an educational reference, not medical advice. For the meaning of a word in your own medical record, ask the clinician who wrote it.