inanimate
gb/ɪnˈænəmɪt/ us/ɪnˈænəmɪt/
C1
English
élettelen, kifejezéstelen
C1
1
élettelen
B2
Usage pattern:
[inanimate + noun]
The museum has both living animals and inanimate exhibits like fossils and minerals.
A múzeumban élő állatok és élettelen kiállítási tárgyak is vannak, például kövületek és ásványok.
The robot looked human, but it was still an inanimate machine.
A robot emberinek látszott, de mégiscsak egy élettelen gép volt.
Children often give names to inanimate objects such as toys and blankets.
Learner examples
A rock is inanimate.
A kő élettelen.
This chair is an inanimate object.
Ez a szék egy élettelen tárgy.
Common mistake:
Do not use for plants or animals; use living/animate instead.
Meaning
not alive; not living
Collocations
inanimate object
|inanimate matter
|inanimate things
|inanimate material
|inanimate world
|inanimate environment
|inanimate debris
|inanimate body
|inanimate remains
|animate and inanimate
Synonyms
nonliving (More direct and common in science writing.)
|
lifeless (Often suggests absence of life or vitality; can sound more dramatic.)
Antonyms
living (Has life.)
|
animate (Alive, especially capable of movement; often used as the direct opposite.)
Themes
science
|nature
|daily_life
Definition
Not alive, like a rock or a chair.
Not alive; not having life.
C2
FORMAL
2
élettelen
C1
Usage pattern:
[inanimate + noun]
He answered in an inanimate voice that made it hard to tell what he felt.
Élettelen hangon válaszolt, ezért nehéz volt megállapítani, mit érez.
The actor’s inanimate expression didn’t fit the emotional scene.
A színész kifejezéstelen arckifejezése nem illett az érzelmes jelenethez.
After hours of meetings, the conversation became inanimate and repetitive.
Learner examples
Her voice sounded inanimate.
A hangja élettelennek hatott.
The show felt inanimate and slow.
A műsor élettelennek és lassúnak hatott.
Common mistake:
This sense is less common than ‘not alive’; in many situations, ‘lifeless’ or ‘wooden’ sounds more natural.
Meaning
dull; lacking life or energy
Collocations
inanimate expression
|inanimate face
|inanimate voice
|inanimate performance
|inanimate response
|inanimate conversation
|inanimate eyes
Synonyms
lifeless (Common; can describe people, voices, or art as lacking energy.)
|
wooden (Often used for acting or delivery that feels stiff and unnatural.)
|
blank (Focuses on the absence of visible emotion, especially in a face.)
Antonyms
lively (Full of energy and interest.)
|
animated (Expressive and energetic (for people, speech, or discussion).)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|arts
Definition
Very dull and without energy.
Not showing emotion, energy, or interest; lacking liveliness.
C1
TECHNICAL
3
élettelen
C1
Usage pattern:
[inanimate + noun]
In some languages, verbs change form depending on whether the subject is animate or inanimate.
Néhány nyelvben az ige alakja attól függően változik, hogy az alany élő vagy élettelen.
The textbook groups these nouns as inanimate because they refer to objects and substances.
A tankönyv ezeket a főneveket élettelennek sorolja be, mert tárgyakra és anyagokra utalnak.
Some pronoun choices depend on whether a referent is treated as animate or inanimate.
Learner examples
In grammar, ‘stone’ is an inanimate noun.
A nyelvtanban a „stone” élettelen főnév.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse grammatical ‘inanimate’ with ‘inactive’; it is about whether something is living.
Meaning
grammar: referring to nonliving things
Collocations
inanimate noun
|inanimate pronoun
|inanimate gender
|inanimate agreement
|animate vs inanimate
Synonyms
nonhuman (Broader; can include animals or supernatural beings depending on the grammar.)
Antonyms
animate (In grammar, referring to living beings (often humans/animals) in contrast to inanimate.)
Themes
language
|education
Definition
In grammar, used for words that mean things that are not alive.
In grammar, describing a noun, pronoun, or grammatical category that refers to something not alive.
Grammar
Dictionary form
inanimate
IPA
GB/ɪnˈænəmɪt/
US/ɪnˈænəmɪt/
Syllables & stress
in - an - im - ate (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (an)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: inanimate
Word family
Expressions
inanimate matter
1/ɪnˈænəmɪt mˈætɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
nonliving physical substance
Material that is not living.
Examples
- The course examines how living organisms interact with inanimate matter in their environment.
- Inanimate matter can still change form through heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.
- The diagram separates living cells from inanimate matter.
Learner examples
- Water is inanimate matter.
inanimate noun
1/ɪnˈænəmɪt nˈaʊn/
fixed phrase
technical
grammar: noun for nonliving thing
A grammar term for a noun that names a nonliving thing.
Examples
- In this language, inanimate nouns take a different plural ending.
- The teacher asked students to list five inanimate nouns from the text.
- Some languages mark inanimate nouns differently from animate ones.
Learner examples
- ‘Table’ is an inanimate noun.
inanimate object
1/ɪnˈænəmɪt ˈɑbd͡ʒɛkt/
fixed phrase
a thing that is not alive
A thing that is not alive.
Examples
- The child blamed the inanimate object for her fall.
- We usually don’t think of an inanimate object as having feelings.
- In the experiment, participants interacted with a person and an inanimate object.
Learner examples
- A book is an inanimate object.
- The ball is an inanimate object.