individuate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to form into an individual or distinct entity.
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to give an individual or distinctive character to; individualize.
verb (used without object)
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to make distinctions.
to individuate among one's students.
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to become individualized or distinctive.
With maturity, the artist individuated.
verb
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to give individuality or an individual form to
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to distinguish from others of the same species or group; individualize
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of individuate
First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin indīviduātus, past participle of indīviduāre “to make individual”; see individual, -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Jonas Brothers in 2023 offer cool adult-contemporary sounds for an audience that grew up with them, similarly navigating the life that emerges once you begin to individuate, become intimate and start families.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2023
But at varying points, each tries to individuate themselves from their father, and much of the suspense lies in how Rupert schemes to draw them back under his influence.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 23, 2022
Over time, when it becomes a good business, we will individuate and make our own thing.
From The Verge ● May 3, 2022
Fungi are also notoriously elusive: They mostly lay underground, sprout unpredictably, and their intricately tangled networks can make them difficult to individuate as single specimens.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2021
If the nature is simple it is of itself individual; if composite, the intrinsic principles from which it results—i.e. matter and form essentially united—suffice to individuate it.
From Ontology or the Theory of Being by Peter Coffey
Western traditions want to assert an autonomous being who is strongly individuated from other beings.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 15, 2022
“It kind of has to be a collective support structure, not an individuated one of. And how do we do that without real government policy?”
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 19, 2021
And in a further twist, they’re all priced the same regardless of edition size: Since each print in “This One” is individuated, the 25-count one is no rarer than the 100-count.
From New York Times ● Dec. 30, 2020
Such a space can represent the wish image of air travel: a personalized adventure, the individuated feeling of being spirited up and across a continent or ocean with no apparent obstacles.
From Slate ● Mar. 18, 2020
Many of the people in the paintings are sharply individuated.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
“Counter to what we expected, the individuating information didn’t reduce or remove bias,” Ellingson said.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 9, 2021
To be “one of Harvey’s victims” is—has to be—the opposite of individuating.
From Slate ● Feb. 20, 2020
It’s a little like when we were talking about childhood and individuating.
From New York Times ● May 14, 2018
By individuating their lives in fiercely lyrical language, each in their own way sings, critiques, and dances the body electric.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 13, 2016
This appears from the fact that in all sensible species is found not only what belongs to the species, but also individuating principles added to the principles of the species.
From Summa Theologica, Part I (Prima Pars) From the Complete American Edition by Saint Thomas Aquinas
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