Home › Fashion, Clothing & Grooming › Spa & Massage Therapy › rejuvenate

rejuvenate

ri-JOO-vuh-nayt /rɪˈdʒuvəˌneɪt/

verbC1GRESATIELTS

generallifestyle

To make someone or something look or feel younger, fresher, or more lively.

Implies a deep, restorative transformation that reverses the effects of aging, wear, or exhaustion.

The story behind the word. Formed in the early 19th century by combining the Latin prefix 're-' (again) with 'juvenis' (young). It literally means 'to make young again.'

Word relationships

revitalize: Revitalize means to give new life or energy, whereas rejuvenate specifically carries the connotation of restoring youthfulness.
refresh: Refresh is a milder term for restoring energy, often temporary, while rejuvenate implies a deeper, more lasting restoration.

debilitate: Debilitate means to make weak or infirm, the exact opposite of restoring youthful strength.

Commonly confused with

renovate: Renovate is used for physical structures like buildings, while rejuvenate is used for living organisms, spirits, or abstract concepts.

Word family

rejuvenation (noun): The action or process of making someone or something look or feel better, younger, or more vital.
rejuvenator (noun): A person or thing that restores youth or vitality.

Collocations

completely rejuvenate
rejuvenate the skin
rejuvenate the mind

Example sentences

"The cool mountain air and natural hot springs will rejuvenate your body and mind." A travel brochure describing a mountain retreat.

Memory hook

Look at the middle of the word: 'juven'. It sounds like 'juvenile' (young). Re-juven-ate is to make juvenile (young) again. Bring back the 'juvenile' youth.

When not to use

Do not use for minor, superficial repairs that do not restore a sense of youth or vitality.

Fun facts

In the late 19th century, scientists attempted bizarre 'rejuvenation' therapies involving animal gland transplants, long before modern endocrinology was understood.