ENGLISH
REFERENCE

inanimate

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˌɪˈnænəmət// UK //ɪnˈænɪmət// inan·i·mate Archaic

adj. describing something that is not alive, such as a rock, a chair, or a tool. You use this to talk about objects that do not breathe or grow like people, animals, and plants do.

adj. not endowed with life or spirit; lacking the qualities of living organisms. Often used in contrast with biological or sentient entities.


SIMPLE

A stone is an inanimate object.

CONTEXTUAL

The artist specializes in painting inanimate objects like bowls of fruit and old books.

COMPLEX

In many ancient mythologies, even inanimate features of the landscape like mountains and rivers were believed to possess a hidden spiritual essence.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

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).

Etymology 2

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.

Usage

Commonly used in the fixed phrase 'inanimate object'.

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