Ruach means spirit, wind, or breath. It appears about 380 times. This multivalent word describes the wind, breath of life, human spirit, and the Spirit of God — the animating, powerful, invisible presence.
The Spirit of God (Ruach Elohim) hovered over the waters at creation, empowers judges and prophets, and will be poured out on all flesh (Joel 2). The connection between wind/breath/spirit reflects the Hebrew understanding of life as God-given breath. Jesus uses ruach/pneuma in John 3 to describe spiritual rebirth.