Unnaturalizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To reverse the process of naturalization by removing citizenship rights ; to cause something to become unnatural or deviate from what is typical or normal ; to strip or revoke the granted status or condition that was previously conferred
2. To annul or withdraw the bestowed legal citizenship allowing a return to a prior status ; to make something appear or behave in a way that contrasts with natural qualities or norms ; to take away the conferred legitimacy or natural condition from a person or entity
3. To cancel the official recognition of citizenship, restoring an earlier condition of non-citizenship ; to alter something so it no longer conforms to the expected natural order or characteristics ; to undo the act of granting natural status or privileges previously given to an individual or thing

Etymology: "Unnaturalizes" is the third-person singular form of "unnaturalize," meaning to strip someone of citizenship, so it describes what an authority does when it revokes a person's naturalized status. The verb is built from "unnatural," which goes back to Latin "non-" ("not") plus "naturalis" ("natural," from "natura," nature), with the suffix "-ize" added to turn the adjective into a verb. The stem is the real story here. "Natural" in the older sense meant having the status of a native-born subject, and "naturalize" originally meant to admit a foreigner into that status. "Unnaturalize" reverses the process, so the word describes undoing an act of legal admission, not an assessment of anyone's character. Its literal sense is therefore a legal one: a person is made, in effect, unnatural in the eyes of the state.

Synonyms: alienates, distorts, modifies

Antonyms: naturalizes, normalizes