inanimacy
|in-an-i-ma-cy|
/ɪˈnænɪsi/
not alive; lacking animation
Etymology
'inanimacy' originates from Latin, specifically from the adjective 'inanimatus' (Late Latin), where 'in-' meant 'not' and 'anima' meant 'breath' or 'soul'. The English noun was formed by adding the suffix '-cy' to 'inanimate'.
The Latin adjective 'inanimatus' (from 'in-' + 'animatus') was adopted into English as 'inanimate' (16th century), and the noun 'inanimacy' developed later in English by the productive formation using '-cy' to denote a state or quality.
Initially it meant 'not endowed with breath or soul' (i.e., not alive); over time it retained that core sense and also acquired specialized use in linguistics to denote a grammatical category.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of being inanimate; lacking life, consciousness, or vitality (not alive or not animated).
The inanimacy of the objects in the abandoned house made the scene eerier.
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Noun 2
in linguistics, the grammatical property that distinguishes inanimate nouns from animate ones (used in noun classification, agreement, or case systems).
The language marks verbs differently depending on the animacy or inanimacy of the object.
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Last updated: 2025/09/14 15:10