enervate

(ĕnˈər-vātˌ)

transitive verb en·er·vat·ed, en·er·vat·ing, en·er·vates

1. To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of: “the luxury which enervates and destroys nations” (Henry David Thoreau). See Synonyms at deplete.
2. Medicine To remove a nerve or part of a nerve.

adjective (ĭ-nûrˈvĭt)

Related Forms:

• enˌer·vaˈtion noun

• enˈer·vaˌtive adjective

• enˈer·vaˌtor noun

Usage Note: Sometimes people mistakenly use enervate to mean “to invigorate” or “to excite” by assuming that this word is a close cousin of the verb energize. In fact enervate does not come from the same source as energize (Greek energos, “active”). It comes from Latin nervus, “sinew.” Thus enervate means “to cause to become ‘out of muscle’,” that is, “to weaken or deplete of strength.”