Revitalize

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ɹiːˈvaɪt(ə)laɪz/

Definitions

1. To refresh and restore the health or energy of an entity by infusing new life and vigor into it, often leading to improved functionality or effectiveness
2. To bring new energy and life back to something that was declining or tired
3. To infuse renewed strength and enthusiasm into a previously weakened or dull condition

Etymology: "Revitalize" is a plain English construction: "re-" (again, back) attached to "vital" (from Latin "vitalis," of life), with the verb-forming suffix "-ize." The "re-" prefix comes from Latin, while "vital" traces back through Latin "vita" (life), which is ultimately related to ancient roots meaning "to live." The verb's core idea is literal: to bring life back into something. The suffix did most of the heavy lifting in its own history. It descends from the Greek "-izein," which Latin borrowed as "-izare" and which entered English through Old French and Middle English as "-isen." The sense was originally "to make into" or "to cause to be," so a word like "civilize" means "to make civil." "Revitalize" therefore literally means "to make alive again."

Synonyms: refresh, renew, revive

Antonyms: weaken, deplete