of debts, "having some likelihood of recovery," 1550s, from Latin speratus, past participle of sperare "to hope," denominative of spes "hope," from PIE *spe-is-, from root spes- "prosperity" (see speed (n.)).
spend
spending
spendthrift
Spenserian
spent
sperate
sperm
spermaceti
spermatic
spermato-
spermatogenesis