'aspirer' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'aspirare', where the prefix 'ad-' (often assimilated to 'as-') meant 'to' and 'spirare' meant 'to breathe'.

'aspirare' passed into Old French as 'aspirer' and into Middle English as forms like 'aspiren', eventually becoming the modern English agent noun 'aspirer' (formed from 'aspire' + agent suffix '-er').

Initially it meant 'to breathe upon' or 'to breathe toward', but over time it evolved to mean 'to desire or strive for something', which is the primary modern sense.