innate

[ ih-neyt, in-eyt ]

adjective

1. existing in one from birth; inborn; native:

   innate musical talent.

   Synonyms: congenital, natural

2. inherent in the essential character of something:

   an innate defect in the hypothesis.

3. originating in or arising from the intellect or the constitution of the mind, rather than learned through experience:

   an innate knowledge of good and evil.

innate

/ ˈɪneɪt; ɪˈneɪt /

adjective

1. existing in a person or animal from birth; congenital; inborn
2. being an essential part of the character of a person or thing
3. instinctive; not learned

   innate capacities

4. botany (of anthers) joined to the filament by the base only
5. (in rationalist philosophy) (of ideas) present in the mind before any experience and knowable by pure reason

Derived Forms

• inˈnately, adverb
• inˈnateness, noun

Other Words From

• in·nate·ly adverb
• in·nate·ness noun
• un·in·nate adjective
• un·in·nate·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of innate¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin innātus “inborn,” past participle of innāscī “to be born, arise,” equivalent to in- in- ² + nāscī “to be born”; nascent, nativity

Word History and Origins

Origin of innate¹

C15: from Latin, from innascī to be born in, from nascī to be born

Synonym Study

Innate, inborn, congenital, hereditary describe qualities, characteristics, or possessions acquired before or at the time of birth. Innate, of Latin origin, and inborn, a native English word, share the literal basic sense “existing at the time of birth,” and they are interchangeable in most contexts: innate (or inborn ) stodginess, agility, gracefulness. Congenital refers most often to characteristics acquired during fetal development, especially defects or undesirable conditions: a congenital deformity; congenital blindness. Hereditary describes qualities or things passed on from ancestors, either through the genes or by social or legal means: Hemophilia is a hereditary condition; a hereditary title.

Example Sentences

Mouse organs sent to space also had higher levels of RNAs that play a role in the body’s innate immunity.

From Science News For Students

I have always had this innate passion for helping others, and that along with my entrepreneurial spirit, I knew I wanted to do something good for motherhood.

From Fortune

There's an innate immune response that is triggered when cells sense they're infected.

From Ars Technica

When animals are routinely attracted to humans and their food, they often become habituated to human presence, meaning they lose their innate fear of us.

From Popular-Science

When Lohmann dropped newly hatched turtles into these conditions, they swam into the waves, just as their innate programming instructed them to—and as a result, they went the wrong way.

From Nautilus

Now, 42 percent believe that it is innate and 37 percent hold that it is environmental—hardly a massive shift in popular opinion.

From The Daily Beast

“Kit has an innate confidence and projects a playfully rebellious nature,” the brand's creative director, Sandra Choi, said.

From The Daily Beast

These approaches are critical as they strive to fix the innate issue: spinal cord damage.

From The Daily Beast

The willing masochism of being an England supporter is innate.

From The Daily Beast

You could hear White's innate pop orientation at the Fonda show as well.

From The Daily Beast

She is always attired in black, and is utterly careless in dress, yet nothing can conceal her innate elegance of figure.

From Project Gutenberg

He had the innate slant of mind that properly belongs to a moderator of mass meetings called to aggravate a crisis.

From Project Gutenberg

But Weirmarsh, with his innate cunning, presented to him a picture of exposure and degradation which held him horrified.

From Project Gutenberg

But it was his kindliness of heart, and above all his innate sense of humour, which appealed most to Peter Ilich.

From Project Gutenberg

Herein Queeker exhibited the innate tendency of the human heart to deceive itself.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• deep-seated
• elemental
• inborn
• ingrained
• inherent
• instinctive
• intrinsic
• intuitive