English Explanatory Dictionary

activate

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable.
To render more reactive; excite.
To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function.
To render a substance radioactive.
To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating.
To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock.
To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter.
To organize or create a military unit or station.
To bring a player back after an injury.

Pronunciation

/ˈæktɪˌveɪt/ en-us-activate.ogg

Word forms

activate activates activating activated

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English active Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English activate From active + -ate.

Synonyms

actuate enable get going set going set in motion set off spur start stimulate trigger turn on

Antonyms

deactivate inactivate

Related words

activation

Derived words

activable activatable activater activate someone's almonds activator activatory alloactivated autoactivate bioactivate bioactivating coactivate coactivated diactivated disactivate heteroactivate hyperactivate hyperactivated hypoactivate hypoactivated immunoactivating misactivate misactivated nonactivated nonactivating overactivate overactivated phosphoactivate photoactivate photoactivated pneumoactivate preactivate preactivated reactivate subactivating superactivate thermoactivated transactivate unactivated underactivate underactivated

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