stimulate

B2 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

Also spelled stimilate and stimilated

US /ˈstɪm.jəˌleɪt/ UK /ˈstɪm.jʊ.leɪt/ See IPA manual

verb Freq #16410

Meanings

1

verb
To encourage something to develop or become more active.

The government cut taxes to stimulate the economy.
2

verb
To make someone feel more alert and energetic.

A strong cup of coffee always stimulates me in the morning.
3

verb
To make someone interested and excited about something.

The book stimulated my imagination for weeks.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to encourage something to... encourage excite provoke

2 verb · to make someone feel more... arouse energize

3 verb · to make someone interested... excite arouse

Word family

Forms stimulatedstimulatesstimulating

Derived forms autostimulatebiostimulatecostimulatecounterstimulatedestimulateelectrostimulategravistimulatehyperstimulateimmunostimulateinstimulateinterstimulatemicrostimulate

Related forms stimulant stimulation stimulator stimulatory stimulus

Common collocations

stimulate the brain Verb + noun

Etymology

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”).

Topics

Cause, Change & Process Actions & Processes

# stimulate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** ˈstɪm.jəˌleɪt
**IPA (UK):** ˈstɪm.jʊ.leɪt
**Frequency rank:** 16410

## Meanings
1. To encourage something to develop or become more active.
2. To make someone feel more alert and energetic.
3. To make someone interested and excited about something.

## Examples
- The government cut taxes to stimulate the economy.
- A strong cup of coffee always stimulates me in the morning.
- The book stimulated my imagination for weeks.

## Derived Forms
- autostimulate
- biostimulate
- costimulate
- counterstimulate
- destimulate
- electrostimulate
- gravistimulate
- hyperstimulate
- immunostimulate
- instimulate
- interstimulate
- microstimulate

## Related Forms
- stimulant
- stimulation
- stimulator
- stimulatory
- stimulus

## Etymology
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”).

## AI Etymology
Stimulate is 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”). In present-day use, it can mean to encourage something to develop or become more active, or to make someone feel more alert and energetic. Derived formations include autostimulate, biostimulate, costimulate, counterstimulate, destimulate.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process
- Actions & Processes

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