Denativized

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

  1. Describing a chemical compound from which a denaturing group has been removed to restore its natural or native properties; referring to a biological molecule returned to its original state by eliminating modifications that altered its function; indicating a substance or material that has been processed to reverse the effects of denaturation and regain its authentic structure
  2. Pertaining to a protein or enzyme that has had denaturing agents stripped away to reestablish its natural conformation and activity; relating to a solution or chemical that was once altered to prevent use but now is free of those modifications; characterizing an element that has undergone treatment to remove barriers preventing its standard biological or chemical behavior
  3. Referring to a sample or compound that has been restored to its normal form by removing any added substances that disrupted its natural configuration; involving processes that reverse changes caused by denaturation in molecules or materials; denoting an item that no longer contains denaturing additives and has regained its native characteristics

Etymology: "Denativized" is formed from "de-" (a prefix meaning "reverse" or "remove") and "naturalized," the past participle of "naturalize." The base "naturalize" traces back through French "naturaliser" to Latin "naturalis," meaning "belonging to nature," from "natura," nature. Its sense of making a foreigner a citizen gave rise to the broader idea of making something foreign fit in, and "denaturalize" took the opposite direction, meaning to strip someone of citizenship. The "denativized" form follows a related but separate path. "Native" comes from Latin "nativus," "natural" or "innate," from "nasci," to be born. In the sense relevant here, to denativize means to reverse a process by which something was made foreign or artificial, so that it returns to its original, natural state. The adjective and verb forms share this sense, so a denativized substance or environment is one that has been restored to its normal condition. The word is uncommon and mostly appears in technical or specialist writing.

Synonyms: denationalized, privatized, depoliticized, removed, converted

Antonyms: nationalized, naturalized, patriotic, native, indigenized