Afflatus
[ə-FLAY-dəs]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, mid-17th century
1.
(Formal) A divine creative impulse or inspiration.
Examples of Afflatus in a sentence
"The priest praised the afflatus of the craftsmen for the new stained glass window."
"The exhibit seems to lack the afflatus that usually draws in spectators."
About Afflatus
This noun developed from the Latin word "afflare," which can be broken down into the words "ad" ("to") and "flare" ("to blow").
Did you Know?
The word "afflatus" has the breath of life — literally. "Afflatus" comes from the Latin words for "to breathe on" and "to blow." Some artists describe the feeling of inspiration as if it was blown into them, which is probably where this connection was forged.
