Look up: pneuma

1. 
   Pneuma
   Pneuma: The life-giving principle. According to the school of medicine in ancient Alexandria, life was associated with a vapor called the pneuma. The belief in pneuma was called pneumatism. In hindsight, pneumatism was an early attempt to explain respiration which is, indeed, the life-giving principle.
   Found on http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.
   
   
2. 
   pneuma
   In ancient Greek philosophy and medicine:1. Air or an all-pervading fiery essence in the air (which today would be identified with oxygen) which was the creative and animating spirit of the universe; drawn into the body through the lungs it generated and sustained the innate heat in the left ventricle of the heart and was distributed by the arterie ...
   Found on http://www.mondofacto.com/facts/dictiona
   
   
3. 
   pneuma
   (from the article `pneumatism`) in medicine, Alexandrian medical school, or sect, based on the theory that life is associated with a subtle vapour called the pneuma; it was, in ... ...separating the two chambers. A small proportion of this blood is further refined in a network of nerves at the base of the skull (in reality found ... ...
   Found on http://www.britannica.com/eb/a-z/p/82
   
   
4. 
   Pneuma
   (Gr. pneuma, breath) A Stoic, also Epicurean, concept signifying spirit, vital force, or creative fire in its penetration into matter. Sometimes understood as psychic energy, or distinguished as the formative fire-mind and the divinely inspired rational part of man from the more emotional, physical aspect of soul. In early Christian, particularly ...
   Found on http://www.ditext.com/runes/p.html