innervate

Unless you’re into anatomy or zoology, you probably don’t need the word innervate very often. It’s pronounced “inNERVate,” accent on the “nerve.” To innervate is “to supply nerves to.” It also means “to stimulate” or “to supply with energy.”

The word innervate sounds like what it is — it means to “put the nerves into” something. When nerves go into muscle fiber, they innervate the muscle fiber. Innervate is to supply nerves to something, but it can also mean to energize. Think of all the energy you have when you get nervous! Sometimes nervousness can even innervate the hairs on your arms, i.e. stimulate them and make them stand up.