Word
inanimate
Phoneticsinan·i·mate
US/ˌɪˈnænəmət/
UK/ɪnˈænɪmət/
Definitions
01not alive
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not living and never having been alive, like a rock or a chair.
adj. lacking the qualities of living organisms; referring to objects that are not alive and do not possess consciousness.
“Children sometimes talk to their toys as if they were not inanimate objects.”
“The philosopher argued that we often project human emotions onto inanimate things like the wind or the sea.”
02grammar category
C1 · Advanced Science Technical
adj. used to describe words for things that are not people or animals.
adj. denoting a class of nouns that refer to non-living things, as opposed to people, animals, or spirits.
“In some languages, the word for 'stone' belongs to the inanimate category.”
“The researcher noted that the language distinguishes between animate and inanimate nouns through specific suffix changes in the plural form.”
Usage
In linguistics, this adjective describes a noun class or gender.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“It is just part of the human condition to place emotional value on inanimate objects.” “Guided by the idea from Korean folklore and shamanism that inanimate objects can become spirited beings called dokkaebi , she looked at the junk discarded in London with fresh eyes.” Etymology
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).
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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