instantiate

American  

[in-stan-shee-eyt] / ɪnˈstæn ʃiˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

instantiated, instantiating

1. to provide an instance of or concrete evidence in support of (a theory, concept, claim, or the like).

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instantiate British  

/ ɪnˈstænʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to represent by an instance

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Other Word Forms

• instantiation noun
• instantiative adjective

Etymology

Origin of instantiate

First recorded in 1945–50; from Medieval Latin īnstantia “example supporting a general proposition,” from Latin īnstanti-, taken as a combining form of īnstantia “presence, urgency, urgent supplication, steadfastness”; instance, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

What sorts of catastrophes would instantiate an existential risk?

From Salon

His sense of entitlement was so potent that any hint that women's rights were being more fully instantiate, felt like a threat and an attack to him.

From Salon

Here, taxidermy becomes a way to instantiate our relationship to bodies—both our own and those of others.

From The New Yorker

They are placed strategically throughout the site to instantiate visitors with the sense that this mess will someday be complete – but it may not be meant for them.

From The Guardian

And so physicists have studied this system before and we wanted to see if we could make our computer instantiate this system.

From Nature