intenerate

American

[in-ten-uh-reyt] / ɪnˈtɛn əˌreɪt /

verb (used with object)

intenerated, intenerating

to make soft or tender; soften.

intenerate British

/ ɪnˈtɛnəˌreɪt /

verb

rare (tr) to soften or make tender

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

inteneration

noun

Etymology

Origin of intenerate

1585–95; in- ² + Latin tener tender ¹ + -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.

The verb intenerate tried to turn out soften; and deturpate to take the place of defile.

From A Brief History of the English Language and Literature, Vol. 2 by Meiklejohn, John Miller Dow

Thus she contrives to intenerate the granite and felspar, takes the boar out and puts the lamb in and keeps her balance true.

From Essays — First Series by Emerson, Ralph Waldo

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023