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inactivate

[in-ak-tuh-veyt]
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verb (used with object), in·ac·ti·vat·ed, in·ac·ti·vat·ing.
  1. to make inactive: The bomb was inactivated.
  2. Immunology. to stop the activity of (certain biological substances).
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Origin of inactivate

First recorded in 1905–10; inactive + -ate1
Related formsin·ac·ti·va·tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

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Examples from the Web for inactivate

Historical Examples

  • Extracts in which no attempt was made to inactivate the enzymes present proved unsatisfactory.

    Myology and Serology of the Avian Family Fringillidae

    William B. Stallcup

British Dictionary definitions for inactivate

inactivate

verb
  1. (tr) to render inactive
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Derived Formsinactivation, 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
inactivate in Medicine

inactivate

(ĭn-ăk′tə-vāt′)
v.
  1. To render nonfunctional.
  2. To make quiescent.
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Related formsin•ac′ti•va′tion n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.