English

edit

Etymology 1

edit

Inherited from Middle English inanimat(e), from Late Latin inanimātus, from Latin in- + animātus (animated), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix). By surface analysis, in- +‎ animate. The noun was derived by substantivization from the adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /ɪnˈænɪmət/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Hyphenation: in‧an‧i‧mate

Adjective

edit

inanimate (comparative more inanimate, superlative most inanimate)

  1. Lacking the quality or ability of motion; as an inanimate object.
    Synonyms: immobile, motionless; see also Thesaurus:immobile, Thesaurus:stationary
  2. Not being, and never having been alive, especially not like humans and animals.
    Synonyms: non-animate, lifeless, insentient, insensate
    • 1818, Mary Shelley, chapter 5, in Frankenstein[1], archived from the original on 31 October 2011:
      I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body.
  3. (grammar) Not animate.
    Antonym: animate

Derived terms

edit
edit
Translations
edit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

edit

inanimate (plural inanimates)

  1. (rare) Something that is not alive.

Etymology 2

edit

Borrowed from Latin inanimātus, the perfect passive participle of inanimō (to animate) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from in- (in, into) +‎ animō (to animate); by surface analysis, in- +‎ animate.

Pronunciation

edit

Verb

edit

inanimate (third-person singular simple present inanimates, present participle inanimating, simple past and past participle inanimated)

  1. (obsolete) To animate.
    • 1621, John Donne, An Anatomy of the World: The First Anniversary:
      For there's a kind of world remaining still, Though shee which did inanimate and fill

Anagrams

edit

Italian

edit

Adjective

edit

inanimate f pl

  1. feminine plural of inanimato

Anagrams

edit

Latin

edit

Adjective

edit

inanimāte

  1. vocative masculine singular of inanimātus