expired
UK[ɪkˈspaɪəd]US[ɪkˈspaɪərd]
adj
(of a document, agreement, or period of time) no longer valid or in use because its allotted time has ended.
adj
(of a person) no longer living; dead. (Often euphemistic)
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
pir
ed
ex
out
pir
breathe
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'expired' originates from the Latin verb exspirare, meaning "to breathe out, exhale; to breathe one's last, die." This verb is a compound of the prefix ex- ("out") and spirare ("to breathe"). The core concept is the literal release of breath, which in ancient thought was intimately linked with life itself. Over time, the meaning broadened metaphorically from the final exhalation of life to signify the end or termination of anything, such as a contract or a period of validity. The modern English adjective 'expired' thus retains this dual sense, applying both to the cessation of life and the conclusion of a designated term.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + pir (breathe) + ed (adjective suffix)
- ex: A Latin prefix meaning "out of, from, thoroughly."
- pir: A root from the Latin verb spirare, meaning "to breathe."
- ed: An English suffix forming adjectives from verbs, indicating a state or condition.
Examples
My driver's license expired last month, so I need to renew it.
The search warrant had expired, making the evidence inadmissible in court.
He lived a full life and expired peacefully in his sleep at the age of ninety-five.