stimulate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To encourage something to develop or become more active.

   The government cut taxes to stimulate the economy.

2. 2
   verb

   To make someone feel more alert and energetic.

   A strong cup of coffee always stimulates me in the morning.

3. 3
   verb

   To make someone interested and excited about something.

   The book stimulated my imagination for weeks.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Stimulate comes from Latin stimulare, meaning “urge” or “goad,” and its early English senses were “sting” and “afflict.” The related stimulus entered English in the late 17th century from a Latin word meaning “goad,” “spur,” or “incentive.”

Etymology tree Latin stimulus Latin stimulo Latin stimulatusbor. English stimulate Borrowed from Latin stimulātus, perfect passive participle of stimulō (“to urge, goad on”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from Latin stimulus (“a sting or prick; a stimulus, goad”).

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