hebetate

H4E1B3E1T1A1T1E1
/ˈhɛbɪtət//ˈhɛbɪteɪt/

adjective

Obtuse, dull.

OriginLatin hebetātus →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

adjectivehebetate (comparative more hebetate, superlative most hebetate)

comparative more hebetate · superlative most hebetate

  1. Obtuse, dull.
  2. biologyHaving a dull or blunt and soft point
verbhebetate (third-person singular simple present hebetates, present participle hebetating, simple past and past participle hebetated)

present singular third person hebetates · participle present hebetating · participle past hebetated · past hebetated

  1. transitiveTo render obtuse; to dull; to blunt.

    […] whenever a state shall duly exercise its parental duties, there will surely be none which shall either wholly hebetate the faculties or harden the heart.

    1829, Robert Southey, “Colloquy VI. Walla Crag.—Owen of Lanark.”, in Sir Thomas More: or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 128

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
weaken

Origin

  1. Latinhebetātus
  2. Englishhebetate

First attested in 1574; borrowed from Latin hebetātus, perfect passive participle of hebetō (“to dull”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

hebetate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hebetate

MLA

“hebetate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hebetate. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hebetate,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hebetate.

Source: hebetate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.