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innate

ih-NAYT /ɪˈneɪt/

adjectiveB2SATGRETOEFLIELTS

AcademicGeneral

Inborn; existing naturally in an organism from birth rather than acquired through experience.

Describes physical or psychological qualities hardwired by biology before environmental forces act upon them.

The story behind the word. From Latin 'innatus', past participle of 'innasci' (to be born in). Philosophers like Descartes argued that human minds contained innate ideas prior to sensory experience.

Word relationships

inborn: Inborn is an exact Anglo-Saxon synonym for innate, though innate is preferred in academic writing.
congenital: Congenital usually describes medical conditions present at birth, while innate describes traits or capacities.

acquired: Acquired traits are gained through environment, learning, or practice.
learned: Learned behaviors are developed after birth through experience.

Commonly confused with

insightful: Insightful means showing deep understanding; innate means present from birth.

Word family

innately (adverb): In an inborn, natural manner.
innateness (noun): The state or quality of being innate.

Collocations

innate ability
innate talent
innate human nature
innate disposition

Example sentences

"Infants demonstrate an innate capacity to recognize human faces shortly after birth." Developmental Psychology
"Noam Chomsky hypothesized that human beings possess an innate language acquisition device." Linguistics

Memory hook

INnate traits are present when you step IN to the world at birth. IN + NATE (natal/born) = born inside you.

When not to use

Do not use for habits developed early in childhood; innate strictly means present from biological origin.

Fun facts

The debate over whether intelligence is innate or acquired is one of the oldest disputes in psychology, known as 'Nature vs. Nurture'.