enervate

[ verb en-er-veyt; adjective ih-nur-vit ]
/ verb ˈɛn ərˌveɪt; adjective ɪˈnɜr vɪt /

verb (used with object), en·er·vat·ed, en·er·vat·ing.

to deprive of force or strength; destroy the vigor of; weaken.

adjective

Origin of enervate

1595–1605; < Latin ēnervātus weakened (past participle of ēnervāre) equivalent to ē- e-1 + nerv(us) sinew (see nerve) + -ātus -ate1; compare Anglo-French enervir, French énerver

OTHER WORDS FROM enervate

en·er·va·tion, noun en·er·va·tive, adjective en·er·va·tor, noun non·en·er·vat·ing, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH enervate

energize enervate innervate invigorate

Example sentences from the Web for enervate

British Dictionary definitions for enervate

enervate

verb (ˈɛnəˌveɪt)

(tr) to deprive of strength or vitality; weaken physically or mentally; debilitate

adjective (ɪˈnɜːvɪt)

deprived of strength or vitality; weakened

Derived forms of enervate

enervation, noun enervative, adjective enervator, noun

Word Origin for enervate

C17: from Latin ēnervāre to remove the nerves from, from nervus nerve, sinew

Medical definitions for enervate

enervate
[ ĕnər-vāt′ ]

v.

To remove a nerve or nerve part.
To cause weakness or a reduction of strength.

Other words from enervate

en′er•vation n.