Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

deactivate

/ˌdiːˈæktɪveɪt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.97 in modern English

Syllables: de-ac-ti-vate
IPA: /ˌdiːˈæktɪveɪt/

16

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

4

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

to make something inactive or no longer effective

verb

to prevent the action of a biochemical agent (such as an enzyme)

verb

to remove a person or piece of hardware from active military service

verb

to commit suicide

Example Sentences

"deactivate an account"
"deactivate a device"
"The technician deactivated the alarm system before repairs began."
"You should deactivate your old account to protect your privacy."
"chemically deactivate"
"The chemical agent was deactivated by exposure to heat."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h₁ Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English active Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English activate English deactivate From de- + activate.

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ˌdiːˈæktɪveɪt/

Inflected Forms

deactivates (present, singular) deactivating (participle, present) deactivated (participle, past) deactivated (past) de-activate (alternative) deäctivate (alternative)

Derived Forms

deactivatable deactivator

Frequently Paired Words

activate inactivate

Synonyms

inactivate

Rhymes With

inactivate

Questions

How do you pronounce deactivate?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌdiːˈæktɪveɪt/.
What does deactivate mean?: to make something inactive or no longer effective
Where does deactivate come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h₁ Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English active Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English activate English deactivate From de- + activate.

How to pronounce deactivate

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “deactivate”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌdiːˈæktɪveɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “deactivate”.
Repeat and practice — Say “deactivate” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.