adj. 1. a. Existing naturally or by heredity rather than being learned through experience: "Chimpanzees show an innate distrust of contact with strangers" (Cindy Engel). b. Of or produced by the mind rather than learned through experience: an innate knowledge of right and wrong. 2. Possessed as an essential characteristic; inherent: "As the Army and farmers built more and more levees, the Missouri lost an innate capacity to absorb its frequent excesses" (William Least Heat-Moon). [Middle English innat, from Latin innātus, past participle of innāscī, to be born in : in-, in; see IN-2 + nāscī, to be born; see genə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] in·nately adv. in·nateness n. |
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