Webster's English Dictionary

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innate

Cross references:
  1. adnate                
 
in.nate \in-'a-t, 'in-.\ aj [ME innat, fr. L innatus, pp. of innasci to be 
   born in, fr. (Xin- + nasci to be born - more at NATION 1a: existing in or 
   belonging to an individual from birth : NATIVE  1b: belonging to the 
   essential nature of something : INHERENT  1c: originating in or derived 
   from the mind or the constitution of the int ellect rather than from 
   experience obs  2: INTERNAL  3a: attached to the apex of the support  3b: 
   ENDOGENOUS  3c: immersed or embedded in ITARY mean not acquired after 
   birth. INNATE applies to qualities or characteristics that are part of 
   one's inner essential nature; INBORN suggests a quality or tendency either 
   actually present at birth or so marked and deep-seated as to seem so; 
   INBRED suggests something acquired from parents either by heredity or early 
   nurture but in any case deeply rooted and ingrained; CONGENITAL and 
   HEREDITARY refer to something acquired before or at birth, CONGENITAL 
   implying acquirement during fetal development, HEREDITARY implying 
   transmission from an ancestor through the germ plasm - in.nate.ly av SYN 
   syn INNATE, INBORN, INBRED, CONGENITAL, HERED