galvanize

[ gal-vuh-nahyz ]
See synonyms for: galvanizegalvanizedgalvanizinggalvanization on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),gal·va·nized, gal·va·niz·ing.
  1. to stimulate by or as if by a galvanic current.

  2. Medicine/Medical. to stimulate or treat (muscles or nerves) with induced direct current (distinguished from faradize).

  1. to startle into sudden activity; stimulate.

  2. to coat (metal, especially iron or steel) with zinc.

Origin of galvanize

1
First recorded in 1795–1805; from French galvaniser, named after Luigi Galvani; see -ize
  • Also especially British, gal·va·nise .

Other words for galvanize

Other words from galvanize

  • gal·va·ni·za·tion, noun
  • gal·va·niz·er, noun
  • non·gal·va·nized, adjective
  • pre·gal·va·nize, verb (used with object), pre·gal·va·nized, pre·gal·va·niz·ing.
  • re·gal·va·ni·za·tion, noun
  • re·gal·va·nize, verb (used with object), re·gal·va·nized, re·gal·va·niz·ing.
  • un·gal·va·nized, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use galvanize in a sentence

  • Those who have clung so hard to their bodies, must galvanise them again with rheumatism and senility and mortgage-ridden minds.

    The Hive | Will Levington Comfort
  • We only want someone to start and do something big to galvanise the smaller investors into action.

    The Sequel | George A. Taylor
  • The conferences were quite businesslike, and Admiral Koltchak's presence seemed to galvanise the whole army into life and energy.

  • All his appetites were wasted and worn; only some monstrosity would galvanise them into momentary action.

    Catherine: A Story | William Makepeace Thackeray
  • The sight of the dead man, however, seemed to galvanise him into sudden and awful vitality.

    The Black Box | E. Phillips Oppenheim

British Dictionary definitions for galvanize

galvanize

galvanise

/ (ˈɡælvəˌnaɪz) /


verb(tr)
  1. to stimulate to action; excite; startle

  2. to cover (iron, steel, etc) with a protective zinc coating by dipping into molten zinc or by electrodeposition

  1. to stimulate by application of an electric current

noun
  1. Caribbean galvanized iron, usually in the form of corrugated sheets as used in roofing

Derived forms of galvanize

  • galvanization or galvanisation, noun
  • galvanizer or galvaniser, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012