inactivate
|in-act-i-vate|
/ˌɪnˈæk.tɪ.veɪt/
making inactive
Etymology
'inactivate' originates from Latin elements: the prefix 'in-' (from Latin 'in-' meaning 'not') combined with 'activate' (from Latin 'activare', meaning 'to make active' or 'set in motion').
'activate' comes from Latin 'activare' (from 'activus' meaning 'active', ultimately from 'agere' meaning 'to do or act'). The negative form 'in-' was attached to 'activate' in English to form 'inactivate' (a back-formation/derivation using the Latin negative prefix and the existing verb 'activate').
Initially formed by combining a negative prefix with a verb meaning 'to make active', its meaning has been consistently 'to make not active' or 'to render inactive' in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to make something inactive or nonfunctional; to deactivate or disable.
The administrator decided to inactivate outdated user accounts.
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Verb 2
(Biology/chemistry) To render a biological agent (e.g., bacterium, virus, enzyme) unable to function or reproduce, often by chemical or physical treatment.
Heat treatment can inactivate many types of viruses.
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Verb 3
to place a status, account, service, or procedure into an inactive or suspended state.
The account was inactivated while the investigation proceeded.
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Last updated: 2025/12/13 22:18