animate
UK[ˈæn.ɪ.meɪt]US[ˈæn.ə.meɪt]
v
To give life or energy to something; to make something lively or active.
adj
Having life; living or alive.
Morpheme Breakdown
anim
ate
anim
life, spirit
ate
verb/adjective-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'animate' originates from the Latin verb animare, meaning "to give life to, to fill with breath or spirit," which itself derives from anima, signifying "breath, soul, life." This Latin root can be traced further back to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root h₂enh₁-, meaning "to breathe, to blow." The semantic journey is direct and logical: from the fundamental concept of breath as the essence of life, to the act of imparting that life force, and finally to the state of being alive. Thus, the modern meanings of enlivening something or being alive are faithful extensions of this ancient core idea.
Analysis
Structure: anim (life, spirit) + ate (verb/adjective-forming suffix)
- anim: From Latin anima meaning "breath, soul, life, spirit." Functions as the core root conveying the sense of life or spirit.
- ate: A suffix of Latin origin (-atus) used to form verbs meaning "to act upon, provide with" and adjectives meaning "characterized by." In this word, it forms both the verb and the adjective.
Examples
A great storyteller can animate even the dullest historical events.
The artist used advanced software to animate the characters for the film.
In many philosophical traditions, plants are considered animate beings.