excitate

Excitate is an English verb meaning to excite or stimulate to activity; to arouse. In physiological and medical usage it can refer to stimulating a tissue, nerve, or organ to produce a response such as an action potential or muscular contraction. In contemporary writing, excitate is relatively uncommon, and speakers or writers usually use "excite" or "stimulate" instead.

Origin and history: The word derives from the Latin excitare, "to rouse, stir up," via Old or Early Modern English. Its trajectory includes occasional usage in 18th- to 20th-century scientific literature, especially in European texts; in current practice it is often considered archaic or technical.

Usage and nuance: Excitation denotes the process of becoming excited and initiating a response; excitable describes tissue able to respond to stimuli. Excitate as a verb is typically restricted to specialized or historical contexts; for modern prose, "excite" or "stimulate" is preferred.

See also: excitation, excitability, excitatory.

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