ingerate

Ingerate is not a recognized English word in standard dictionaries, and it does not have an established, widely accepted definition. It is generally regarded as a misspelling or a nonce coinage rather than a distinct lexical item with a stable meaning.

The term is often encountered as a mistaken form of verbs such as ingratiate, meaning to gain favor with someone through deliberate effort, or as a misspelling of ingrate, referring to a person who is ungrateful. Because there is no official sense attached to ingerate, its intended meaning can only be inferred from context, and it can lead to ambiguity.

Usage guidance is to treat ingerate as an error rather than a valid term. When the writer intends the sense of gaining approval or favor, use ingratiate (or ingratiation as a noun). When referring to an ungrateful person, use ingrate. If a text deliberately coins or preserves ingerate for stylistic reasons, the author should clearly define the intended meaning at first use to avoid confusion.

In editorial practice, readers encountering ingerate should consider it a probable misspelling, especially in formal writing. Correcting to ingratiate, ingrate, or a related noun (ingratation is less common; ingratiation is standard) is advisable to maintain clarity. See also ingratiate, ingratiation, ingrate.