# animate

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈæn.ɪ.mət/ · frequency rank #24,082

## Definitions
1. That lives.
2. Possessing the quality or ability of motion.
3. Dynamic, energetic.
4. having a referent that is considered alive (this generally includes humans, animals and deities, sometimes also plants, spirits, etc.)
5. Inflected to agree with an animate noun or pronoun.

## Etymology
From Middle English animat(e), from Latin animātus, perfect passive participle of animō (“to fill with breath, quicken, encourage, animate”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from anima (“soul, spirit, breath”); see anima. The verb derives from the adjective, see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

## Easily confused with
- **animated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/animate-vs-animated)
- **animator** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/animate-vs-animator)
- **anima** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anima-vs-animate)
- **animal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/animal-vs-animate)
- **animals** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/animals-vs-animate)
- **agitate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/agitate-vs-animate)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ainmate`, `aniamte`, `animaet`, `animatte`, `animmate`, `animtae`, `anmiate`, `annimate`, `naimate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/animate