inebriate
Meaning
to make someone drunk; to intoxicate
drunk; intoxicated
a person who is drunk or habitually drunk
Structure
Usage
the strong liquor was enough to inebriate him after just one glass.
he was found in an inebriate state, unable to walk straight.
the charity provides shelter for homeless inebriates.
Etymology
The word 'inebriate' has a direct lineage from Latin. It is formed from the Latin verb 'inebriare', which itself is a compound of the intensive prefix 'in-' and the adjective 'ebrius', meaning 'drunk'. The suffix '-ate' was added to form the English verb. The literal construction means 'to make drunk' or 'to put into a state of drunkenness'. This core meaning has remained remarkably stable from its Latin origins through Middle English into Modern English, though its usage has expanded to include both literal intoxication and metaphorical states of excitement or exhilaration.
Analysis
- in: (latin prefix) meaning 'in, into, on, upon'. in this context, it functions as an intensifying prefix. - ebri: (latin root) from 'ebrius', meaning 'drunk, intoxicated'. it is the core semantic root. - ate: (latin suffix) a verb-forming suffix meaning 'to make, become, or act upon'. it can also form adjectives and nouns.