What does innate mean?
Word: Innate
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: present in a person from birth, not learnt or taught.
Synonyms: inborn, natural
Word origin: From Latin innatus.
How do you spell innate?
Syllables: in - nate
Tricky part: Students say one n and write one, giving inate. Two are needed.
Watch out for: inate, ennate
Memory tip: Picture twins born on the same day: the n letters in this word stand side by side.
Innate in a sentence
Example 1: Many birds seem to have an innate sense of direction.
Example 2: Meera's innate kindness makes everyone feel at home.
Example 3: His innate talent for drawing showed up early.
Fun Fact
Scientists have long debated which human abilities are innate and which are learnt, a question often called nature versus nurture.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
inn___
a) eat
b) eit
c) ait
d) ate
Show answer
d) ate. The ending is the one in sedate.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its opposite:
1. innate 2. gullible 3. futile a. shrewd b. acquired c. worthwhile
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
c) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. A shrewd buyer is hard to fool, and a worthwhile effort is the reverse of a futile one.
Spell Spies
Choose the pair which has a spelling error:
a) innate : inborn
b) feeble : weak
c) noble : honerable
d) vivid : bright
Show answer
c) noble : honerable. Honourable keeps the ou of honour, so that pair has the error.
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
atneni
a) done with great care and very close attention
b) part of someone's nature without any training
c) easily seen by anyone from a long way off
d) slow to understand what is being said to you
Show answer
b) part of someone's nature without any training. These six letters make the adjective used for gifts nobody had to learn.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these would a scientist call innate?
a) a cook's favourite recipe
b) a spider's skill at spinning a web
c) a driver's skill at parking
d) a child's knowledge of the alphabet
Show answer
b) a spider's skill at spinning a web
2. A coach says that a swimmer's balance is innate. What is his point?
a) It took years to develop.
b) It only shows in races.
c) It will soon fade away.
d) It never had to be taught.
Show answer
d) It never had to be taught.
