ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Innate

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ɪˈneɪt/ · Part of speech adjective

Quick meaning: Innate is an adjective meaning Inborn; existing or having existed since birth.

Meaning

Inborn; existing or having existed since birth.

More Meanings

  1. (philosophy) Originating in, or derived from, the constitution of the intellect, as opposed to acquired from experience.
  2. Instinctive; coming from instinct.
  3. (botany) Joined by the base to the very tip of a filament.
  4. (obsolete) To cause to exist; to call into being.

Example Sentences

innate ideas
an innate anther
Perhaps, from an innate desire of justification, sorrow always exaggerates itself.
Ironically, given France's innate reluctance to permit competition at home, the first breach in Renfe's monopoly came from SNCF offshoot Ouigo España in 2021.

Word Forms

Synonyms for innate

Depending on context, synonyms include connate, connatural, congenital, congenite, genetous, inborn.

Antonyms for innate

Common opposites include acquired, implanted, ingrafted, inculcated, infused, learned.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include congenital, born, inborn, natural, unconditioned, unlearned.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.