innate

[ih-neyt, in-eyt] /ɪˈneɪt, ˈɪn eɪt/
adjective
1.
existing in one from birth; inborn; native:
innate musical talent.
2.
inherent in the essential character of something:
an innate defect in the hypothesis.
3.
originating in or arising from the intellect or the constitution of the mind, rather than learned through experience:
an innate knowledge of good and evil.
Origin
1375-1425; late Middle English < Latin innātus inborn, past participle of innāscī to be born, arise, equivalent to in- in-2 + nāscī to be born; cf. nascent, nativity
Related forms
innately, adverb
innateness, noun
uninnate, adjective
uninnately, adverb
uninnateness, noun
Can be confused
inchoate, innate (see synonym study at the current entry)
Synonyms
1. natural, congenital. Innate, inborn, congenital, hereditary describe qualities, characteristics, or possessions acquired before or at the time of birth. Innate, of Latin origin, and inborn, a native English word, share the literal basic sense “existing at the time of birth,” and they are interchangeable in most contexts: innate (or inborn ) stodginess, agility, gracefulness. Congenital refers most often to characteristics acquired during fetal development, especially defects or undesirable conditions: a congenital deformity; congenital blindness. Hereditary describes qualities or things passed on from ancestors, either through the genes or by social or legal means: Hemophilia is a hereditary condition; a hereditary title.
Examples from the web for innate
  • Writer mentions he inherited both an innate ability to lie and his mask of sanity from his father.
  • Perseverance is much more important than innate talent.
  • But strength has as much to do with strength training as it does innate characteristics.
  • These things are not matters of innate intelligence, they are matters of training.
  • Such skills are thought to be innate-part of their genetic makeup.
  • The gentle hand of her midwife, trusting in the innate wisdom of birth.
  • In fact, the ability is so widespread it's likely that the bird's tendency to mimic sound is innate.
  • His work is driven by an innate sense of wonder and curiosity about the world and its people.
  • His innate feel for the refuge freed me to build further intimacy and respect for the land.
  • Indifferent to our presence, the turtle was following an innate program encoded millions of years ago.
British Dictionary definitions for innate

innate

/ɪˈneɪt; ˈɪneɪt/
adjective
1.
existing in a person or animal from birth; congenital; inborn
2.
being an essential part of the character of a person or thing
3.
instinctive; not learned: innate capacities
4.
(botany) (of anthers) joined to the filament by the base only
5.
(in rationalist philosophy) (of ideas) present in the mind before any experience and knowable by pure reason
Derived Forms
innately, adverb
innateness, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Latin, from innascī to be born in, from nascī to be born
Word Origin and History for innate
adj.

early 15c., from Late Latin innatus "inborn," past participle of innasci "to be born in, originate in," from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + nasci "to be born" (Old Latin gnasci; see genus). Related: Innately.

innate in Medicine

innate in·nate (ĭ-nāt', ĭn'āt')
adj.
Possessed at birth; inborn.

in·nate'ness n.