Dictionary.com
definitions

innervate

[ ih-nur-veyt, in-er-veyt ]
/ ɪˈnɜr veɪt, ˈɪn ərˌveɪt /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR innervate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), in·ner·vat·ed, in·ner·vat·ing.

to communicate nervous energy to; stimulate through nerves.
to furnish with nerves; grow nerves into.

RELATED CONTENT

Synonyms for the Season: Valentine’s DayAre you tired of filling out your greeting cards with “Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweetheart!” every year? Are you one clichéd love note away from throwing in the towel altogether? We understand your pain and are here to help you woo that special someone without triggering their gag reflex. Every Valentine’s Day, people flock to Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com to explore new words to use in their …
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

prompt, inspire, propel, sway, excite, drive, trigger, galvanize, spark, provoke, spur, persuade, incline, stir, incite, motivate, induce, generate, inflame, elicit

Nearby words

  1. innerly,
  2. innermost,
  3. innermost intercostal muscle,
  4. innersole,
  5. innerspring,
  6. innervation,
  7. innerve,
  8. innerwear,
  9. inness,
  10. inness, george

Origin of innervate

First recorded in 1865–70; in-2 + nerve + -ate1
Can be confusedenergize enervate innervate invigorate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for innervate

British Dictionary definitions for innervate

innervate

/ (ˈɪnɜːˌveɪt) /

verb (tr)

to supply nerves to (a bodily organ or part)
to stimulate (a bodily organ or part) with nerve impulses
Derived Formsinnervation, 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
Word Origin and History for innervate

innervate

v.

1870, from in- (2) "in" + Latin nervus (see nerve) + -ate. Probably rather a back-formation from innervation (1832). Related: Innervated. Innervation in psychology is from 1880.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for innervate

innervate

[ ĭ-nûr′vāt′, ĭn′ər- ]

v.

To supply an organ or a body part with nerves.
To stimulate a nerve, muscle, or body part to action.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.