Innate
/ɪˈneɪt/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Innate describes qualities, skills, or feelings that a person or animal has naturally from birth. These are not taught or learned but are part of the natural makeup of the person or animal. For example, some people have an innate talent for music or an innate sense of kindness.
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Existing naturally from birth
- •She has an innate ability to understand people's feelings.
- •Some fears are innate, like being afraid of loud noises.
- •Birds have an innate skill to build nests without being taught.
Present as a natural part of something
- •The innate beauty of the forest amazed the visitors.
- •Patience is an innate quality in some people.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "innate" like "natural," but specifically meaning something you are born with, not something you get later.
- ✓Picture a baby who can cry or smile without learning how—these are innate actions.
- ✓It's the feeling when you just "know" how to do something without being taught, like a bird knowing how to fly.
- ✓Sounds like "in-NATE" → imagine something inside you (in) that is your natural "NATE" (a name) — your natural part.
- ✓Think of superheroes born with powers, like Superman — his strength is innate, not learned.
- ✓NOT like "learned" (skills from study or practice), innate means it comes from inside you from the start.
- ✓NOT like "acquired" (gained after birth), innate is present at birth.
- ✓NOT like "habit" (something you do often), innate is natural and automatic.
Try Other Words
- •Inborn: meaning present from birth (Use when emphasizing something you have since you were born)
- •Natural: meaning existing without help or learning (Use when talking about qualities or things that happen by themselves)
- •Native: meaning belonging to a place or origin (Use when talking about origin or where something comes from)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "in-" (meaning inside or within) + "nate" (from Latin "natus," meaning born)
- •Etymology: From Latin "innatus," meaning "born in" or "natural"
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to describe qualities or abilities present from birth
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in biology, psychology, and everyday language to describe natural traits or talents
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a skill or quality you believe is innate in yourself or someone you know? How do you know it was not learned?
•How can understanding the difference between innate and learned abilities help us appreciate people's talents and behavior?
Fill in the blanks
1.Babies have innate ___ like crying and smiling that do not need to be taught.
2.Fear of loud noises is often considered an innate ___ because it helps protect us.
3.Unlike skills learned at school, innate talents are present from ___.
4.She showed an innate ___ for painting, even without lessons.
5.Innate qualities come ___ you, not from outside teaching.
6.When a bird builds a nest without help, it uses its innate ___.
7.Some people believe kindness is an innate ___, while others think it is learned.